Dataset Information

Decadal biomass increment in early secondary succession woody ecosystems is increased by CO₂ enrichment.

ABSTRACT: Increasing atmospheric CO₂ stimulates photosynthesis which can increase net primary production (NPP), but at longer timescales may not necessarily increase plant biomass. Here we analyse the four decade-long CO₂-enrichment experiments in woody ecosystems that measured total NPP and biomass. CO₂ enrichment increased biomass increment by 1.05?±?0.26?kg?C?m^-2 over a full decade, a 29.1?±?11.7% stimulation of biomass gain in these early-secondary-succession temperate ecosystems. This response is predictable by combining the CO₂ response of NPP (0.16?±?0.03?kg?C?m^-2?y^-1) and the CO₂-independent, linear slope between biomass increment and cumulative NPP (0.55?±?0.17). An ensemble of terrestrial ecosystem models fail to predict both terms correctly. Allocation to wood was a driver of across-site, and across-model, response variability and together with CO₂-independence of biomass retention highlights the value of understanding drivers of wood allocation under ambient conditions to correctly interpret and predict CO₂ responses.

SUBMITTER: Walker AP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6376023 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Decadal biomass increment in early secondary succession woody ecosystems is increased by CO2 enrichment.

Walker Anthony P AP De Kauwe Martin G MG Medlyn Belinda E BE Zaehle Sönke S Iversen Colleen M CM Asao Shinichi S Guenet Bertrand B Harper Anna A Hickler Thomas T Hungate Bruce A BA Jain Atul K AK Luo Yiqi Y Lu Xingjie X Lu Meng M Luus Kristina K Megonigal J Patrick JP Oren Ram R Ryan Edmund E Shu Shijie S Talhelm Alan A Wang Ying-Ping YP Warren Jeffrey M JM Werner Christian C Xia Jianyang J Yang Bai B Zak Donald R DR Norby Richard J RJ

Nature communications 20190214 1

Increasing atmospheric CO2 stimulates photosynthesis which can increase net primary production (NPP), but at longer timescales may not necessarily increase plant biomass. Here we analyse the four decade-long CO2-enrichment experiments in woody ecosystems that measured total NPP and biomass. CO2 enrichment increased biomass increment by 1.05 ± 0.26 kg C m-2 over a full decade, a 29.1 ± 11.7% stimulation of biomass gain in these early-secondary-successio ...[more]

PMID: 30765702

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Project description:Stomatal conductance (g s) in terrestrial vegetation regulates the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and water loss through transpiration, closely linking the biosphere and atmosphere and influencing climate. Yet, the range and pattern of g s in plants from natural ecosystems across broad geographic, climatic, and taxonomic ranges remains poorly quantified. Furthermore, attempts to characterize g s on such scales have predominantly relied upon meta-analyses compiling data from many different studies. This approach may be inherently problematic as it combines data collected using unstandardized protocols, sometimes over decadal time spans, and from different habitat groups. Using a standardized protocol, we measured leaf-level g s using porometry in 218 C3 woody angiosperm species in natural ecosystems representing seven bioclimatic zones. The resulting dataset of 4273 g s measurements, which we call STraits (Stomatal Traits), was used to determine patterns in maximum g s (g smax) across bioclimatic zones and whether there was similarity in the mean g smax of C3 woody angiosperms across ecosystem types. We also tested for differential g smax in two broadly defined habitat groups - open-canopy and understory-subcanopy - within and across bioclimatic zones. We found strong convergence in mean g smax of C3 woody angiosperms in the understory-subcanopy habitats across six bioclimatic zones, but not in open-canopy habitats. Mean g smax in open-canopy habitats (266 ± 100 mmol m-2 s-1) was significantly higher than in understory-subcanopy habitats (233 ± 86 mmol m-2 s-1). There was also a central tendency in the overall dataset to operate toward a g smax of ∼250 mmol m-2 s-1. We suggest that the observed convergence in mean g smax of C3 woody angiosperms in the understory-subcanopy is due to a buffering of g smax against macroclimate effects which will lead to differential response of C3 woody angiosperm vegetation in these two habitats to future global change. Therefore, it will be important for future studies of g smax to categorize vegetation according to habitat group.

Project description:Global changes, such as increased temperatures and elevated CO2, are driving shifts in plant species distribution and dominance, like woody plant encroachment into grasslands. Local factors within these ecotones can influence the rate of regime shifts. Woody encroachment is occurring worldwide, though there has been limited research within coastal systems, where mangrove (woody shrub/tree) stands are expanding into salt marsh areas. Because coastal systems are exposed to various degrees of nutrient input, we investigated how nutrient enrichment may locally impact mangrove stand expansion and salt marsh displacement over time. We fertilized naturally co-occurring Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) stands in Port Aransas, TX, an area experiencing mangrove encroachment within the Northern Gulf of Mexico mangrove-marsh ecotone. After four growing seasons (2010-2013) of continuous fertilization, Avicennia was more positively influenced by nutrient enrichment than Spartina. Most notably, fertilized plots had a higher density of taller (> 0.5 m) mangroves and mangrove maximum height was 46% taller than in control plots. Fertilization may promote an increase in mangrove stand expansion within the mangrove-marsh ecotone by shifting Avicennia height distribution. Avicennia individuals, which reach certain species-specific height thresholds, have reduced negative neighbor effects and have higher resilience to freezing temperatures, which may increase mangrove competitive advantage over marsh grass. Therefore, we propose that nutrient enrichment, which augments mangrove height, could act locally as a positive feedback to mangrove encroachment, by reducing mangrove growth suppression factors, thereby accelerating the rates of increased mangrove coverage and subsequent marsh displacement. Areas within the mangrove-marsh ecotone with high anthropogenic nutrient input may be at increased risk of a regime shift from grass to woody dominated ecosystems.

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Decadal biomass increment in early secondary succession woody ecosystems is increased by CO₂ enrichment.

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Decadal biomass increment in early secondary succession woody ecosystems is increased by CO<sub>2</sub> enrichment.

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