Clues for our missing respiration model

Evidence for widespread thermal optimality of ecosystem respiration

Ecosystem respiration (ER) is among the largest carbon fluxes between the biosphere and the atmosphere. Understanding the temperature response of ER is crucial for predicting the climate change-carbon cycle feedback. However, whether there is an apparent optimum temperature of ER ([Formula: see text]) and how it changes with temperature remain poorly understood. Here we analyse the temperature response curves of ER at 212 sites from global FLUXNET. We find that ER at 183 sites shows parabolic temperature response curves and [Formula: see text] at which ER reaches the maximum exists widely across biomes around the globe. Among the 15 biotic and abiotic variables examined, [Formula: see text] is mostly related to the optimum temperature of gross primary production (GPP, [Formula: see text]) and annual maximum daily temperature (Tmax). In addition, [Formula: see text] linearly increases with Tmax across sites and over vegetation types, suggesting its thermal adaptation. The adaptation magnitude of [Formula: see text], which is measured by the change in [Formula: see text] per unit change in Tmax, is positively correlated with the adaptation magnitude of [Formula: see text]. This study provides evidence of the widespread existence of [Formula: see text] and its thermal adaptation with Tmax across different biomes around the globe. Our findings suggest that carbon cycle models that consider the existence of [Formula: see text] and its adaptation have the potential to more realistically predict terrestrial carbon sequestration in a world with changing climate.

Technical advances for measurement of gas exchange at the whole plant level: Design solutions and prototype tests to carry out shoot and rootzone analyses in plants of different sizes

To measure gas exchange at the whole plant (WP) level, design solutions were provided and prototypes of gas-exchange systems (GESs) were tested to carry out shoot and rootzone analyses in plants of different sizes. A WP-GES for small herbaceous plants was tested on the ability to maximize the net assimilation rate of CO₂ in lettuce plants grown either under blue-red light or upon full spectrum artificial light. A WP-GES for large woody plants was tested during an experiment describing the drought stress inhibition of grapevine transpiration and photosynthesis. Technical advances pointed to optimize: i) the choice of cuvette material and its technical configuration to allow hermetic isolation of the interface shoot-rootzone, to avoid contamination between the two compartments, and to allow climate control of both shoot and rootzone cuvettes, ii) accurate measurements of the mass air-flow entering both cuvettes, and iii) an adequate homogenization of the cuvette air volume for stable and accurate detection of CO₂ and H₂O concentration in cuvettes before and after CO₂ and H₂O contamination of the air volumes exerted by plant organs.

Foliar respiration is related to photosynthetic, growth and carbohydrate response to experimental drought and elevated temperature

Short-term plant respiration (R) increases exponentially with rising temperature, but drought could reduce respiration by reducing growth and metabolism. Acclimation may alter these responses. We examined if species with different drought responses would differ in foliar R response to +4.8°C temperature and -45% precipitation in a field experiment with mature piñon and juniper trees, and if any differences between species were related to differences in photosynthesis rates, shoot growth and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). Short-term foliar R had a Q₁₀ of 1.6 for piñon and 2.6 for juniper. Piñon foliar R did not respond to the +4.8°C temperatures, but R increased 1.4× for juniper. Across treatments, piñon foliage had higher growth, lower NSC content, 29% lower photosynthesis rates, and 44% lower R than juniper. Removing 45% precipitation had little impact on R for either species. Species differences in the response of R under elevated temperature were related to substrate availability and stomatal response to leaf water potential. Despite not acclimating to the higher temperature and having higher R than piñon, greater substrate availability in juniper suggests it could supply respiratory demand for much longer than piñon. Species responses will be critical in ecosystem response to a warmer climate.

Hot drought reduces the effects of elevated CO2 on tree water-use efficiency and carbon metabolism

Trees are increasingly exposed to hot droughts due to CO₂ -induced climate change. However, the direct role of [CO₂ ] in altering tree physiological responses to drought and heat stress remains ambiguous. Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine) trees were grown from seed under ambient (421 ppm) or elevated (867 ppm) [CO₂ ]. The 1.5-yr-old trees, either well watered or drought treated for 1 month, were transferred to separate gas-exchange chambers and the temperature gradually increased from 25°C to 40°C over a 10 d period. Continuous whole-tree shoot and root gas-exchange measurements were supplemented by primary metabolite analysis. Elevated [CO₂ ] reduced tree water loss, reflected in lower stomatal conductance, resulting in a higher water-use efficiency throughout amplifying heat stress. Net carbon uptake declined strongly, driven by increases in respiration peaking earlier in the well-watered (31-32°C) than drought (33-34°C) treatments unaffected by growth [CO₂ ]. Further, drought altered the primary metabolome, whereas the metabolic response to [CO₂ ] was subtle and mainly reflected in enhanced root protein stability. The impact of elevated [CO₂ ] on tree stress responses was modest and largely vanished with progressing heat and drought. We therefore conclude that increases in atmospheric [CO₂ ] cannot counterbalance the impacts of hot drought extremes in Aleppo pine.