skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Leaf respiration (GlobResp) - global trait database supports Earth System Models

Journal Article · · New Phytologist
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13364· OSTI ID:1185926
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Climate Change Science Inst., Environmental Sciences Division

Here we detail how Atkin and his colleagues compiled a global database (GlobResp) that details rates of leaf dark respiration and associated traits from sites that span Arctic tundra to tropical forests. This compilation builds upon earlier research (Reich et al., 1998; Wright et al., 2006) and was supplemented by recent field campaigns and unpublished data.In keeping with other trait databases, GlobResp provides insights on how physiological traits, especially rates of dark respiration, vary as a function of environment and how that variation can be used to inform terrestrial biosphere models and land surface components of Earth System Models. Although an important component of plant and ecosystem carbon (C) budgets (Wythers et al., 2013), respiration has only limited representation in models. Seen through the eyes of a plant scientist, Atkin et al. (2015) give readers a unique perspective on the climatic controls on respiration, thermal acclimation and evolutionary adaptation of dark respiration, and insights into the covariation of respiration with other leaf traits. We find there is ample evidence that once large databases are compiled, like GlobResp, they can reveal new knowledge of plant function and provide a valuable resource for hypothesis testing and model development.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; DE–AC05–00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1185926
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1786894
Journal Information:
New Phytologist, Vol. 206, Issue 2; ISSN 0028-646X
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 3 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (13)

Foliar respiration and its temperature sensitivity in trees and lianas: in situ measurements in the upper canopy of a tropical forest journal April 2013
The Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), model description – Part 2: Carbon fluxes and vegetation dynamics journal January 2011
Evaluation of ecosystem dynamics, plant geography and terrestrial carbon cycling in the LPJ dynamic global vegetation model journal February 2003
Impacts of trait variation through observed trait–climate relationships on performance of an Earth system model: a conceptual analysis journal January 2013
From tropics to tundra: Global convergence in plant functioning journal December 1997
Irradiance, temperature and rainfall influence leaf dark respiration in woody plants: evidence from comparisons across 20 sites journal November 2005
Relationships of leaf dark respiration to leaf nitrogen, specific leaf area and leaf life-span: a test across biomes and functional groups journal May 1998
The unseen iceberg: plant roots in arctic tundra journal September 2014
Plant respiration and photosynthesis in global-scale models: incorporating acclimation to temperature and CO 2 journal September 2012
Incorporating temperature-sensitive Q 10 and foliar respiration acclimation algorithms modifies modeled ecosystem responses to global change : R ACCLIMATION AND GLOBAL CHANGE journal February 2013
Root structural and functional dynamics in terrestrial biosphere models - evaluation and recommendations journal September 2014
Global variability in leaf respiration in relation to climate, plant functional types and leaf traits journal January 2015
Plant functional types in Earth system models: past experiences and future directions for application of dynamic vegetation models in high-latitude ecosystems journal May 2014