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Title: Dry-Season Greening and Water Stress in Amazonia: The Role of Modeling Leaf Phenology

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2017jg004282· OSTI ID:1539733

Large uncertainties on the sensitivity of Amazon forests to drought exist. Even though water stress should suppress photosynthesis and enhance tree mortality, a green-up has been often observed during the dry season. This interplay between climatic forcing and forest phenology is poorly understood and inadequately represented in most of existing dynamic global vegetation models calling for an improved description of the Amazon seasonal dynamics. Recent findings on tropical leaf phenology are incorporated in the state-of-the-art eco-hydrological model Thetys & Chloris. The new model accounts for a mechanistic light-controlled leaf development, synchronized dry-season litterfall, and an age-dependent leaf photosynthetic capacity. Simulation results from 32 sites in the Amazon basin over a 15-year period successfully mimic the seasonality of gross primary productivity; evapotranspiration (ET); as well as leaf area index, leaf age, and leaf productivity. Representation of tropical leaf phenology reproduces the observed dry-season greening, reduces simulated gross primary productivity, and does not alter ET, when compared with simulations without phenology. Tolerance to dry periods, with the exception of major drought events, is simulated by the model. Deep roots rather than leaf area index regulation mechanisms control the response to short-term droughts, but legacy effects can exacerbate multiyear water stress. Our results provide a novel mechanistic approach to model leaf phenology and flux seasonality in the tropics, reconciling the generally observed dry-season greening, ET seasonality, and decreased carbon uptake during severe droughts.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0011078
OSTI ID:
1539733
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Vol. 123, Issue 6; ISSN 2169-8953
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 32 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (12)

Soil structure is an important omission in Earth System Models journal January 2020
More green and less blue water in the Alps during warmer summers journal January 2020
Changes in leaf functional traits of rainforest canopy trees associated with an El Niño event in Borneo text January 2019
A Mechanistic Model of Microbially Mediated Soil Biogeochemical Processes: A Reality Check journal June 2019
Estimation of Evapotranspiration of Amazon Rainforest Using the Maximum Entropy Production Method journal February 2019
An urban ecohydrological model to quantify the effect of vegetation on urban climate and hydrology (UT&C v1.0) text January 2020
Cryptic phenology in plants: Case studies, implications, and recommendations journal August 2019
Soil structure is an important omission in Earth System Models text January 2020
Changes in leaf functional traits of rainforest canopy trees associated with an El Niño event in Borneo journal July 2019
Ecohydrological changes after tropical forest conversion to oil palm text January 2018
Ecohydrological changes after tropical forest conversion to oil palm journal June 2018
An urban ecohydrological model to quantify the effect of vegetation on urban climate and hydrology (UT&C v1.0) journal January 2020

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