Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity (2024)

Wang, H., Atkin, O. K., Keenan, T. F., Smith, N. G., Wright, I. J., Bloomfield, K. J., Kattge, J., Reich, P. B., & Prentice, I. C. (2020). Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity. Global Change Biology, 26(4), 2573-2583. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14980

Wang, Han ; Atkin, Owen K. ; Keenan, Trevor F. et al. / Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity. In: Global Change Biology. 2020 ; Vol. 26, No. 4. pp. 2573-2583.

@article{c5e34126368140849278d4fd1797e2e0,

title = "Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity",

abstract = "Plant respiration is an important contributor to the proposed positive global carbon-cycle feedback to climate change. However, as a major component, leaf mitochondrial ({\textquoteleft}dark{\textquoteright}) respiration (Rd) differs among species adapted to contrasting environments and is known to acclimate to sustained changes in temperature. No accepted theory explains these phenomena or predicts its magnitude. Here we propose that the acclimation of Rd follows an optimal behaviour related to the need to maintain long-term average photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax) so that available environmental resources can be most efficiently used for photosynthesis. To test this hypothesis, we extend photosynthetic co-ordination theory to predict the acclimation of Rd to growth temperature via a link to Vcmax, and compare predictions to a global set of measurements from 112 sites spanning all terrestrial biomes. This extended co-ordination theory predicts that field-measured Rd and Vcmax accessed at growth temperature (Rd,tg and Vcmax,tg)should increase by 3.7% and 5.5% per degree increase in growth temperature. These acclimated responses to growth temperature are less steep than the corresponding instantaneous responses, which increase 8.1% and 9.9% per degree of measurement temperature for Rd and Vcmax respectively. Data-fitted responses proof indistinguishable from the values predicted by our theory, and smaller than the instantaneous responses. Theory and data are also shown to agree that the basal rates of both Rd and Vcmax assessed at 25°C(Rd,25 and Vcmax,25) decline by ~4.4% per degree increase in growth temperature. These results provide a parsimonious general theory for Rd acclimation to temperature that is simpler—and potentially more reliable—than the plant functional type-based leaf respiration schemes currently employed in most ecosystem and land-surface models.",

keywords = "acclimation, carbon cycle, carboxylation capacity (V), climate change, co-ordination, land-surface model, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen, nitrogen cycle, optimality, photosynthesis",

author = "Han Wang and Atkin, {Owen K.} and Keenan, {Trevor F.} and Smith, {Nicholas G.} and Wright, {Ian J.} and Bloomfield, {Keith J.} and Jens Kattge and Reich, {Peter B.} and Prentice, {I. Colin}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd",

year = "2020",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/gcb.14980",

language = "English",

volume = "26",

pages = "2573--2583",

journal = "Global Change Biology",

issn = "1354-1013",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "4",

}

Wang, H, Atkin, OK, Keenan, TF, Smith, NG, Wright, IJ, Bloomfield, KJ, Kattge, J, Reich, PB & Prentice, IC 2020, 'Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity', Global Change Biology, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 2573-2583. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14980

Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity. / Wang, Han; Atkin, Owen K.; Keenan, Trevor F. et al.
In: Global Change Biology, Vol. 26, No. 4, 01.04.2020, p. 2573-2583.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity

AU - Wang, Han

AU - Atkin, Owen K.

AU - Keenan, Trevor F.

AU - Smith, Nicholas G.

AU - Wright, Ian J.

AU - Bloomfield, Keith J.

AU - Kattge, Jens

AU - Reich, Peter B.

AU - Prentice, I. Colin

N1 - Publisher Copyright:© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

PY - 2020/4/1

Y1 - 2020/4/1

N2 - Plant respiration is an important contributor to the proposed positive global carbon-cycle feedback to climate change. However, as a major component, leaf mitochondrial (‘dark’) respiration (Rd) differs among species adapted to contrasting environments and is known to acclimate to sustained changes in temperature. No accepted theory explains these phenomena or predicts its magnitude. Here we propose that the acclimation of Rd follows an optimal behaviour related to the need to maintain long-term average photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax) so that available environmental resources can be most efficiently used for photosynthesis. To test this hypothesis, we extend photosynthetic co-ordination theory to predict the acclimation of Rd to growth temperature via a link to Vcmax, and compare predictions to a global set of measurements from 112 sites spanning all terrestrial biomes. This extended co-ordination theory predicts that field-measured Rd and Vcmax accessed at growth temperature (Rd,tg and Vcmax,tg)should increase by 3.7% and 5.5% per degree increase in growth temperature. These acclimated responses to growth temperature are less steep than the corresponding instantaneous responses, which increase 8.1% and 9.9% per degree of measurement temperature for Rd and Vcmax respectively. Data-fitted responses proof indistinguishable from the values predicted by our theory, and smaller than the instantaneous responses. Theory and data are also shown to agree that the basal rates of both Rd and Vcmax assessed at 25°C(Rd,25 and Vcmax,25) decline by ~4.4% per degree increase in growth temperature. These results provide a parsimonious general theory for Rd acclimation to temperature that is simpler—and potentially more reliable—than the plant functional type-based leaf respiration schemes currently employed in most ecosystem and land-surface models.

AB - Plant respiration is an important contributor to the proposed positive global carbon-cycle feedback to climate change. However, as a major component, leaf mitochondrial (‘dark’) respiration (Rd) differs among species adapted to contrasting environments and is known to acclimate to sustained changes in temperature. No accepted theory explains these phenomena or predicts its magnitude. Here we propose that the acclimation of Rd follows an optimal behaviour related to the need to maintain long-term average photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax) so that available environmental resources can be most efficiently used for photosynthesis. To test this hypothesis, we extend photosynthetic co-ordination theory to predict the acclimation of Rd to growth temperature via a link to Vcmax, and compare predictions to a global set of measurements from 112 sites spanning all terrestrial biomes. This extended co-ordination theory predicts that field-measured Rd and Vcmax accessed at growth temperature (Rd,tg and Vcmax,tg)should increase by 3.7% and 5.5% per degree increase in growth temperature. These acclimated responses to growth temperature are less steep than the corresponding instantaneous responses, which increase 8.1% and 9.9% per degree of measurement temperature for Rd and Vcmax respectively. Data-fitted responses proof indistinguishable from the values predicted by our theory, and smaller than the instantaneous responses. Theory and data are also shown to agree that the basal rates of both Rd and Vcmax assessed at 25°C(Rd,25 and Vcmax,25) decline by ~4.4% per degree increase in growth temperature. These results provide a parsimonious general theory for Rd acclimation to temperature that is simpler—and potentially more reliable—than the plant functional type-based leaf respiration schemes currently employed in most ecosystem and land-surface models.

KW - acclimation

KW - carbon cycle

KW - carboxylation capacity (V)

KW - climate change

KW - co-ordination

KW - land-surface model

KW - leaf mass per area

KW - leaf nitrogen

KW - nitrogen cycle

KW - optimality

KW - photosynthesis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081758403&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/gcb.14980

DO - 10.1111/gcb.14980

M3 - Article

SN - 1354-1013

VL - 26

SP - 2573

EP - 2583

JO - Global Change Biology

JF - Global Change Biology

IS - 4

ER -

Wang H, Atkin OK, Keenan TF, Smith NG, Wright IJ, Bloomfield KJ et al. Acclimation of leaf respiration consistent with optimal photosynthetic capacity. Global Change Biology. 2020 Apr 1;26(4):2573-2583. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14980