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Functional trait variation related to gap dynamics in tropical moist forests: a vegetation modelling perspective

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Title: Functional trait variation related to gap dynamics in tropical moist forests: a vegetation modelling perspective
Authors: Prentice, I
Togashi, HF
Atkin, OK
Bloomfield, K
Bradford, M
Cao, K
Dong, N
Evans, B
Fan, Z
Harrison, SP
Hua, Z
Liddell, MJ
Lloyd, J
Ni, J
Wang, H
Weerasinghe, LK
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: The conventional representation of Plant Functional Types (PFTs) in Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) is increasingly recognized as simplistic and lacking in predictive power. Key ecophysiological traits, including photosynthetic parameters, are typically assigned single values for each PFT while the substantial trait variation within PFTs is neglected. This includes continuous variation in response to environmental factors, and differences linked to spatial and temporal niche differentiation within communities. A much stronger empirical basis is required for the treatment of continuous plant functional trait variation in DGVMs. We analyse 431 sets of measurements of leaf and plant traits, including photosynthetic measurements, on evergreen angiosperm trees in tropical moist forests of Australia and China. Confining attention to tropical moist forests, our analysis identifies trait differences that are linked to vegetation dynamic roles. Coordination theory predicts that Rubisco- and electron-transport limited rates of photosynthesis are co-limiting under field conditions. The least-cost hypothesis predicts that air-to-leaf CO2 drawdown minimizes the combined costs per unit carbon assimilation of maintaining carboxylation and transpiration capacities. Aspects of these predictions are supported for within-community trait variation linked to canopy position, just as they are for variation along spatial environmental gradients. Trait differences among plant species occupying different structural and temporal niches may provide a basis for the ecophysiological representation of vegetation dynamics in next-generation DGVMs.
Issue Date: 1-Dec-2018
Date of Acceptance: 31-Oct-2018
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/66099
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2018.10.004
ISSN: 1433-8319
Publisher: Elsevier
Start Page: 52
End Page: 64
Journal / Book Title: Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics
Volume: 35
Copyright Statement: © 2018 Published by Elsevier GmbH. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Keywords: Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Plant Sciences
Ecology
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Plant traits
Photosynthesis
Vegetation dynamics
Tropical forests
DGVMs
TEMPERATURE RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
BASIN-WIDE VARIATIONS
RAIN-FOREST
LEAF RESPIRATION
ADAPTIVE VARIATION
WATER TRANSPORT
USE EFFICIENCY
CARBON GAIN
CLIMATE
NITROGEN
0602 Ecology
0607 Plant Biology
0603 Evolutionary Biology
Publication Status: Published
Online Publication Date: 2018-11-03
Appears in Collections:Department of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences