29
IRUS Total
Downloads
  Altmetric

Global effects of soil and climate on leaf photosynthetic traits and rates

File Description SizeFormat 
Research paper. Marie et al 2015.docxAccepted version108.18 kBMicrosoft WordView/Open
Maire_etal_accepted_suppmat[1254].docxSupporting information2.89 MBMicrosoft WordView/Open
Title: Global effects of soil and climate on leaf photosynthetic traits and rates
Authors: Maire, V
Wright, IJ
Prentice, IC
Batjes, NH
Bhaskar, R
Van Bodegom, PM
Cornwell, WK
Ellsworth, D
Niinemets, U
Ordonez, A
Reich, PB
Santiago, LS
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: Aim The influence of soil properties on photosynthetic traits in higher plants is poorly quantified in comparison with that of climate. We address this situation by quantifying the unique and joint contributions to global leaf‐trait variation from soils and climate. Location Terrestrial ecosystems world‐wide. Methods Using a trait dataset comprising 1509 species from 288 sites, with climate and soil data derived from global datasets, we quantified the effects of 20 soil and 26 climate variables on light‐saturated photosynthetic rate (Aarea), stomatal conductance (gs), leaf nitrogen and phosphorus (Narea and Parea) and specific leaf area (SLA) using mixed regression models and multivariate analyses. Results Soil variables were stronger predictors of leaf traits than climatic variables, except for SLA. On average, Narea, Parea and Aarea increased and SLA decreased with increasing soil pH and with increasing site aridity. gs declined and Parea increased with soil available P (Pavail). Narea was unrelated to total soil N. Joint effects of soil and climate dominated over their unique effects on Narea and Parea, while unique effects of soils dominated for Aarea and gs. Path analysis indicated that variation in Aarea reflected the combined independent influences of Narea and gs, the former promoted by high pH and aridity and the latter by low Pavail. Main conclusions Three environmental variables were key for explaining variation in leaf traits: soil pH and Pavail, and the climatic moisture index (the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration). Although the reliability of global soil datasets lags behind that of climate datasets, our results nonetheless provide compelling evidence that both can be jointly used in broad‐scale analyses, and that effects uniquely attributable to soil properties are important determinants of leaf photosynthetic traits and rates. A significant future challenge is to better disentangle the covarying physiological, ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that underpin trait–environment relationships.
Issue Date: 1-Jun-2015
Date of Acceptance: 1-Apr-2015
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/69844
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/geb.12296
ISSN: 1466-822X
Publisher: Wiley
Start Page: 706
End Page: 717
Journal / Book Title: Global Ecology and Biogeography
Volume: 24
Issue: 6
Copyright Statement: © 2015 John Wiley & Sons. This is the accepted version of the article, which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/geb.12296
Keywords: Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Physical Sciences
Ecology
Geography, Physical
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Physical Geography
Least-cost theory of photosynthesis
nitrogen
phosphorus
photosynthesis
plant functional traits
soil fertility
soil pH
stomatal conductance
ECONOMICS SPECTRUM
NITROGEN
NUTRIENT
WATER
VARIABILITY
PHOSPHORUS
CARBON
PRECIPITATION
TEMPERATURE
PATTERNS
0602 Ecology
0501 Ecological Applications
Publication Status: Published
Online Publication Date: 2015-04-07
Appears in Collections:Department of Life Sciences
Grantham Institute for Climate Change