Experimental warming across a tropical forest canopy height gradient reveals minimal photosynthetic and respiratory acclimation

Kelsey R. Carter; Tana E. Wood; Sasha C. Reed; Kaylie M. Butts; Molly A. Cavaleri

doi:10.1111/pce.14134

Experimental warming across a tropical forest canopy height gradient reveals minimal photosynthetic and respiratory acclimation

Kelsey R. Carter, Tana E. Wood, Sasha C. Reed, Kaylie M. Butts, Molly A. Cavaleri

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

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tropical forest canopies cycle vast amounts of carbon, yet we still have a limited understanding of how these critical ecosystems will respond to climate warming. We implemented in situ leaf-level + 3°C experimental warming from the understory to the upper canopy of two Puerto Rican tropical tree species, Guarea guidonia and Ocotea sintenisii. After approximately 1 month of continuous warming, we assessed adjustments in photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, leaf traits and foliar respiration. Warming did not alter net photosynthetic temperature response for either species; however, the optimum temperature of Ocotea understory leaf photosynthetic electron transport shifted upward. There was no Ocotea respiratory treatment effect, while Guarea respiratory temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) was down-regulated in heated leaves. The optimum temperatures for photosynthesis (T_opt) decreased 3–5°C from understory to the highest canopy position, perhaps due to upper canopy stomatal conductance limitations. Guarea upper canopy T_opt was similar to the mean daytime temperatures, while Ocotea canopy leaves often operated above T_opt. With minimal acclimation to warmer temperatures in the upper canopy, further warming could put these forests at risk of reduced CO₂ uptake, which could weaken the overall carbon sink strength of this tropical forest.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2879-2897
Number of pages	19
Journal	Plant Cell and Environment
Volume	44
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14134
State	Published - Sep 2021
Externally published	Yes

Funding

We are very grateful to TRACE project manager Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez for logistical support. We are also grateful to Benjamin Miller, Elsa Schwartz, Michael Schmid and Jack Zwart for their excellent field and lab assistance. Thank you to Andrew Burton, Robert Froese and Sarah Green for thoughtful discussions on the manuscript. This research was funded by U.S. Department of Energy award numbers DE-SC-0012000, DE-SC-0011806, DE-SC-0008168, 89243018S-SC-000014 and DE-SC-0018942 and a National Science Foundation award DEB-1754713. The USDA Forest Service's International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) and University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras provided additional support. Sasha C. Reed was also supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area. Kelsey R. Carter was additionally funded through a McIntire Stennis NIFA grant #1021476. All research at IITF is done in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico. Additional funding was provided by Michigan Technological University's Ecosystems Science Centre, Graduate Finishing Fellowship and a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. A previous version of this manuscript was included in a Ph.D. dissertation (Carter, 2019). The authors report no conflict of interest for this publication. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. We are very grateful to TRACE project manager Aura M. Alonso‐Rodríguez for logistical support. We are also grateful to Benjamin Miller, Elsa Schwartz, Michael Schmid and Jack Zwart for their excellent field and lab assistance. Thank you to Andrew Burton, Robert Froese and Sarah Green for thoughtful discussions on the manuscript. This research was funded by U.S. Department of Energy award numbers DE‐SC‐0012000, DE‐SC‐0011806, DE‐SC‐0008168, 89243018S‐SC‐000014 and DE‐SC‐0018942 and a National Science Foundation award DEB‐1754713. The USDA Forest Service's International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) and University of Puerto Rico‐Río Piedras provided additional support. Sasha C. Reed was also supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area. Kelsey R. Carter was additionally funded through a McIntire Stennis NIFA grant #1021476. All research at IITF is done in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico. Additional funding was provided by Michigan Technological University's Ecosystems Science Centre, Graduate Finishing Fellowship and a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. A previous version of this manuscript was included in a Ph.D. dissertation (Carter, 2019 ). The authors report no conflict of interest for this publication. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. McIntire Stennis NIFA, Grant/Award Number: grant # 1021476; National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: DEB‐1754713; U.S. Department of Energy, Grant/Award Numbers: 89243018S‐SC‐000014, DE‐SC‐0008168, DE‐SC‐0011806, DE‐SC‐0012000, DE‐SC‐0018942 Funding information

Funders	Funder number
Michigan Technological University's Ecosystems Science Centre
U.S. Government
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras
National Science Foundation	DEB‐1754713
U.S. Department of Energy	89243018S‐SC‐000014, DE‐SC‐0018942, DE‐SC‐0008168, DE‐SC‐0012000, DE‐SC‐0011806
U.S. Geological Survey
National Institute of Food and Agriculture	1021476
International Institute of Tropical Forestry
Universidad de Puerto Rico

Keywords

electron transport
experimental leaf warming
photosynthesis
respiration
stomatal conductance
thermal acclimation

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1111/pce.14134

Cite this

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title = "Experimental warming across a tropical forest canopy height gradient reveals minimal photosynthetic and respiratory acclimation",

abstract = "Tropical forest canopies cycle vast amounts of carbon, yet we still have a limited understanding of how these critical ecosystems will respond to climate warming. We implemented in situ leaf-level + 3°C experimental warming from the understory to the upper canopy of two Puerto Rican tropical tree species, Guarea guidonia and Ocotea sintenisii. After approximately 1 month of continuous warming, we assessed adjustments in photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, leaf traits and foliar respiration. Warming did not alter net photosynthetic temperature response for either species; however, the optimum temperature of Ocotea understory leaf photosynthetic electron transport shifted upward. There was no Ocotea respiratory treatment effect, while Guarea respiratory temperature sensitivity (Q10) was down-regulated in heated leaves. The optimum temperatures for photosynthesis (Topt) decreased 3–5°C from understory to the highest canopy position, perhaps due to upper canopy stomatal conductance limitations. Guarea upper canopy Topt was similar to the mean daytime temperatures, while Ocotea canopy leaves often operated above Topt. With minimal acclimation to warmer temperatures in the upper canopy, further warming could put these forests at risk of reduced CO2 uptake, which could weaken the overall carbon sink strength of this tropical forest.",

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AU - Cavaleri, Molly A.

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N2 - Tropical forest canopies cycle vast amounts of carbon, yet we still have a limited understanding of how these critical ecosystems will respond to climate warming. We implemented in situ leaf-level + 3°C experimental warming from the understory to the upper canopy of two Puerto Rican tropical tree species, Guarea guidonia and Ocotea sintenisii. After approximately 1 month of continuous warming, we assessed adjustments in photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, leaf traits and foliar respiration. Warming did not alter net photosynthetic temperature response for either species; however, the optimum temperature of Ocotea understory leaf photosynthetic electron transport shifted upward. There was no Ocotea respiratory treatment effect, while Guarea respiratory temperature sensitivity (Q10) was down-regulated in heated leaves. The optimum temperatures for photosynthesis (Topt) decreased 3–5°C from understory to the highest canopy position, perhaps due to upper canopy stomatal conductance limitations. Guarea upper canopy Topt was similar to the mean daytime temperatures, while Ocotea canopy leaves often operated above Topt. With minimal acclimation to warmer temperatures in the upper canopy, further warming could put these forests at risk of reduced CO2 uptake, which could weaken the overall carbon sink strength of this tropical forest.

AB - Tropical forest canopies cycle vast amounts of carbon, yet we still have a limited understanding of how these critical ecosystems will respond to climate warming. We implemented in situ leaf-level + 3°C experimental warming from the understory to the upper canopy of two Puerto Rican tropical tree species, Guarea guidonia and Ocotea sintenisii. After approximately 1 month of continuous warming, we assessed adjustments in photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, leaf traits and foliar respiration. Warming did not alter net photosynthetic temperature response for either species; however, the optimum temperature of Ocotea understory leaf photosynthetic electron transport shifted upward. There was no Ocotea respiratory treatment effect, while Guarea respiratory temperature sensitivity (Q10) was down-regulated in heated leaves. The optimum temperatures for photosynthesis (Topt) decreased 3–5°C from understory to the highest canopy position, perhaps due to upper canopy stomatal conductance limitations. Guarea upper canopy Topt was similar to the mean daytime temperatures, while Ocotea canopy leaves often operated above Topt. With minimal acclimation to warmer temperatures in the upper canopy, further warming could put these forests at risk of reduced CO2 uptake, which could weaken the overall carbon sink strength of this tropical forest.

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KW - experimental leaf warming

KW - photosynthesis

KW - respiration

KW - stomatal conductance

KW - thermal acclimation

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Experimental warming across a tropical forest canopy height gradient reveals minimal photosynthetic and respiratory acclimation

Abstract

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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