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Simulation of tree-ring widths with a model for primary production, carbon allocation, and growth

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Title: Simulation of tree-ring widths with a model for primary production, carbon allocation, and growth
Authors: Li, G
Harrison, SP
Prentice, IC
Falster, D
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: We present a simple, generic model of annual tree growth, called "T". This model accepts input from a first-principles light-use efficiency model (the "P" model). The P model provides values for gross primary production (GPP) per unit of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Absorbed PAR is estimated from the current leaf area. GPP is allocated to foliage, transport tissue, and fine-root production and respiration in such a way as to satisfy well-understood dimensional and functional relationships. Our approach thereby integrates two modelling approaches separately developed in the global carbon-cycle and forest-science literature. The T model can represent both ontogenetic effects (the impact of ageing) and the effects of environmental variations and trends (climate and CO2) on growth. Driven by local climate records, the model was applied to simulate ring widths during the period 1958–2006 for multiple trees of Pinus koraiensis from the Changbai Mountains in northeastern China. Each tree was initialised at its actual diameter at the time when local climate records started. The model produces realistic simulations of the interannual variability in ring width for different age cohorts (young, mature, and old). Both the simulations and observations show a significant positive response of tree-ring width to growing-season total photosynthetically active radiation (PAR0) and the ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration (α), and a significant negative response to mean annual temperature (MAT). The slopes of the simulated and observed relationships with PAR0 and α are similar; the negative response to MAT is underestimated by the model. Comparison of simulations with fixed and changing atmospheric CO2 concentration shows that CO2 fertilisation over the past 50 years is too small to be distinguished in the ring-width data, given ontogenetic trends and interannual variability in climate.
Issue Date: 4-Dec-2014
Date of Acceptance: 22-Oct-2014
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/69640
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6711-2014
ISSN: 1726-4170
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Start Page: 6711
End Page: 6724
Journal / Book Title: Biogeosciences
Volume: 11
Issue: 23
Copyright Statement: © 2014 Author(s). This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Sponsor/Funder: AXA Research Fund
Funder's Grant Number: AXA Chair Programme in Biosphere and Climate Impacts
Keywords: Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Physical Sciences
Ecology
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Geology
LEAF-AREA INDEX
CO2 FERTILIZATION
ELEVATED CO2
TEMPERATURE VARIABILITY
NITROGEN LIMITATION
VEGETATION DYNAMICS
QUERCUS-PETRAEA
CLIMATE-CHANGE
RADIAL GROWTH
HEIGHT GROWTH
04 Earth Sciences
05 Environmental Sciences
06 Biological Sciences
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Publication Status: Published
Open Access location: https://www.biogeosciences.net/11/6711/2014/bg-11-6711-2014.pdf
Online Publication Date: 2014-12-04
Appears in Collections:Department of Life Sciences
Grantham Institute for Climate Change