Canopy Position Influences the Degree of Light Suppression of Leaf Respiration in Abundant Tree Genera in the Amazon Forest

Daisy C. Souza; Kolby J. Jardine; João V.F.C. Rodrigues; Bruno O. Gimenez; Alistair Rogers; Nate McDowell; Anthony P. Walker; Niro Higuchi; Israel J. Sampaio-Filho; Jeffrey Chambers

doi:10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539

Canopy Position Influences the Degree of Light Suppression of Leaf Respiration in Abundant Tree Genera in the Amazon Forest

Daisy C. Souza, Kolby J. Jardine, João V.F.C. Rodrigues, Bruno O. Gimenez, Alistair Rogers, Nate McDowell, Anthony P. Walker, Niro Higuchi, Israel J. Sampaio-Filho, Jeffrey Chambers

Ecosystem Processes

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

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Leaf respiration in the dark (R_dark) and light (R_day) is poorly characterized in diverse tropical ecosystems, and little to no information exists on the degree of light suppression in common tree species within the Amazon basin, and their dependences upon plant functional traits and position within the canopy. We quantified R_dark and apparent R_day using the Kok method and measured key leaf traits in 26 tree individuals of different species distributed in three different canopy positions: canopy, lower canopy, and understory. To explore the relationships between the leaf traits we used the standardized major axis (SMA). We found that canopy trees had significantly higher rates of R_dark and R_day than trees in the understory. The difference between R_dark and R_day (the light suppression of respiration) was greatest in the understory (68 ± 9%, 95% CI) and lower canopy (49 ± 9%, 95% CI) when compared to the canopy (37 ± 10%, 95% CI). We also found that R_day was significantly and strongly correlated with R_dark (p < 0.001) for all the canopy positions. Also, leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf Phosphorus concentration (P) had a significant relationship with R_dark (p < 0.001; p = 0.003), respectively. In addition, a significant relationship was found for LMA in the canopy and lower canopy positions (p = 0.009; p = 0.048) while P was only significant in the canopy (p = 0.044). Finally, no significant relationship was found between R_dark and nitrogen, sugars, and starch. Our results highlight the importance of including representation of the light suppression of leaf respiration in terrestrial biosphere models and also of accounting for vertical gradients within forest canopies and connections with functional traits.

Original language	English
Article number	723539
Journal	Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Volume	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539
State	Published - Sep 30 2021

Funding

Logistical and scientific support is acknowledged by the Forest Management laboratory (LMF), Tropical Forest Science (CFT) and Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere (LBA) programs at the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA). The assistance of Sidnei Pereira in the field is acknowledged. We would also like to acknowledge Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for NSC analysis. This material is based upon work supported as part of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments-Tropics (NGEE-Tropics) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Program through contracts No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 to LBNL, No. DESC0012704 to BNL, and No. DE-AC05-1008 00OR22725 to ORNL (managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the DOE). Additional funding for this research was provided by the Brazilian Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

Keywords

Kok method
R
R
carbon cycle
leaf traits
tropical forest

Access to Document

10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539

Cite this

Souza, D. C., Jardine, K. J., Rodrigues, J. V. F. C., Gimenez, B. O., Rogers, A., McDowell, N., Walker, A. P., Higuchi, N., Sampaio-Filho, I. J., & Chambers, J. (2021). Canopy Position Influences the Degree of Light Suppression of Leaf Respiration in Abundant Tree Genera in the Amazon Forest. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4, Article 723539. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539

@article{62ccd00f8768448b92d9c7f566d2cd77,

title = "Canopy Position Influences the Degree of Light Suppression of Leaf Respiration in Abundant Tree Genera in the Amazon Forest",

abstract = "Leaf respiration in the dark (Rdark) and light (Rday) is poorly characterized in diverse tropical ecosystems, and little to no information exists on the degree of light suppression in common tree species within the Amazon basin, and their dependences upon plant functional traits and position within the canopy. We quantified Rdark and apparent Rday using the Kok method and measured key leaf traits in 26 tree individuals of different species distributed in three different canopy positions: canopy, lower canopy, and understory. To explore the relationships between the leaf traits we used the standardized major axis (SMA). We found that canopy trees had significantly higher rates of Rdark and Rday than trees in the understory. The difference between Rdark and Rday (the light suppression of respiration) was greatest in the understory (68 ± 9%, 95% CI) and lower canopy (49 ± 9%, 95% CI) when compared to the canopy (37 ± 10%, 95% CI). We also found that Rday was significantly and strongly correlated with Rdark (p < 0.001) for all the canopy positions. Also, leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf Phosphorus concentration (P) had a significant relationship with Rdark (p < 0.001; p = 0.003), respectively. In addition, a significant relationship was found for LMA in the canopy and lower canopy positions (p = 0.009; p = 0.048) while P was only significant in the canopy (p = 0.044). Finally, no significant relationship was found between Rdark and nitrogen, sugars, and starch. Our results highlight the importance of including representation of the light suppression of leaf respiration in terrestrial biosphere models and also of accounting for vertical gradients within forest canopies and connections with functional traits.",

keywords = "Kok method, R, R, carbon cycle, leaf traits, tropical forest",

author = "Souza, {Daisy C.} and Jardine, {Kolby J.} and Rodrigues, {Jo{\~a}o V.F.C.} and Gimenez, {Bruno O.} and Alistair Rogers and Nate McDowell and Walker, {Anthony P.} and Niro Higuchi and Sampaio-Filho, {Israel J.} and Jeffrey Chambers",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Souza, Jardine, Rodrigues, Gimenez, Rogers, McDowell, Walker, Higuchi, Sampaio-Filho and Chambers.",

year = "2021",

month = sep,

day = "30",

doi = "10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

journal = "Frontiers in Forests and Global Change",

issn = "2624-893X",

publisher = "Frontiers Media",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Canopy Position Influences the Degree of Light Suppression of Leaf Respiration in Abundant Tree Genera in the Amazon Forest

AU - Souza, Daisy C.

AU - Jardine, Kolby J.

AU - Rodrigues, João V.F.C.

AU - Gimenez, Bruno O.

AU - Rogers, Alistair

AU - McDowell, Nate

AU - Walker, Anthony P.

AU - Higuchi, Niro

AU - Sampaio-Filho, Israel J.

AU - Chambers, Jeffrey

PY - 2021/9/30

Y1 - 2021/9/30

N2 - Leaf respiration in the dark (Rdark) and light (Rday) is poorly characterized in diverse tropical ecosystems, and little to no information exists on the degree of light suppression in common tree species within the Amazon basin, and their dependences upon plant functional traits and position within the canopy. We quantified Rdark and apparent Rday using the Kok method and measured key leaf traits in 26 tree individuals of different species distributed in three different canopy positions: canopy, lower canopy, and understory. To explore the relationships between the leaf traits we used the standardized major axis (SMA). We found that canopy trees had significantly higher rates of Rdark and Rday than trees in the understory. The difference between Rdark and Rday (the light suppression of respiration) was greatest in the understory (68 ± 9%, 95% CI) and lower canopy (49 ± 9%, 95% CI) when compared to the canopy (37 ± 10%, 95% CI). We also found that Rday was significantly and strongly correlated with Rdark (p < 0.001) for all the canopy positions. Also, leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf Phosphorus concentration (P) had a significant relationship with Rdark (p < 0.001; p = 0.003), respectively. In addition, a significant relationship was found for LMA in the canopy and lower canopy positions (p = 0.009; p = 0.048) while P was only significant in the canopy (p = 0.044). Finally, no significant relationship was found between Rdark and nitrogen, sugars, and starch. Our results highlight the importance of including representation of the light suppression of leaf respiration in terrestrial biosphere models and also of accounting for vertical gradients within forest canopies and connections with functional traits.

AB - Leaf respiration in the dark (Rdark) and light (Rday) is poorly characterized in diverse tropical ecosystems, and little to no information exists on the degree of light suppression in common tree species within the Amazon basin, and their dependences upon plant functional traits and position within the canopy. We quantified Rdark and apparent Rday using the Kok method and measured key leaf traits in 26 tree individuals of different species distributed in three different canopy positions: canopy, lower canopy, and understory. To explore the relationships between the leaf traits we used the standardized major axis (SMA). We found that canopy trees had significantly higher rates of Rdark and Rday than trees in the understory. The difference between Rdark and Rday (the light suppression of respiration) was greatest in the understory (68 ± 9%, 95% CI) and lower canopy (49 ± 9%, 95% CI) when compared to the canopy (37 ± 10%, 95% CI). We also found that Rday was significantly and strongly correlated with Rdark (p < 0.001) for all the canopy positions. Also, leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf Phosphorus concentration (P) had a significant relationship with Rdark (p < 0.001; p = 0.003), respectively. In addition, a significant relationship was found for LMA in the canopy and lower canopy positions (p = 0.009; p = 0.048) while P was only significant in the canopy (p = 0.044). Finally, no significant relationship was found between Rdark and nitrogen, sugars, and starch. Our results highlight the importance of including representation of the light suppression of leaf respiration in terrestrial biosphere models and also of accounting for vertical gradients within forest canopies and connections with functional traits.

KW - Kok method

KW - R

KW - carbon cycle

KW - leaf traits

KW - tropical forest

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117112538&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539

DO - 10.3389/ffgc.2021.723539

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85117112538

SN - 2624-893X

VL - 4

JO - Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

JF - Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

M1 - 723539

ER -

Canopy Position Influences the Degree of Light Suppression of Leaf Respiration in Abundant Tree Genera in the Amazon Forest

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this