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Limited thermal acclimation of photosynthesis in tropical montane tree species

Journal Article · · Global Change Biology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15790· OSTI ID:1808602
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [5];  [8];  [9]
  1. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, School of Forestry, Biodiversity and Biological Sciences College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine University of Rwanda Musanze Rwanda, Department of Biology The University of Western Ontario London ON Canada, Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC) University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden
  2. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC) University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, Department of Biology College of Science and Technology University of Rwanda Huye Rwanda
  3. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, Department of Biology College of Science and Technology University of Rwanda Huye Rwanda
  4. Department of Biology College of Science and Technology University of Rwanda Huye Rwanda, World Agroforestry (ICRAF) Huye Rwanda
  5. School of Forestry, Biodiversity and Biological Sciences College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine University of Rwanda Musanze Rwanda
  6. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, Department of Biology College of Science and Technology University of Rwanda Huye Rwanda, Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board Kigali Rwanda
  7. Department of Biology The University of Western Ontario London ON Canada, Division of Plant Sciences Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia, Environmental and Climate Sciences Department Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton NY USA, Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC USA
  8. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden, Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC) University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden
  9. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden
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Abstract

The temperature sensitivity of physiological processes and growth of tropical trees remains a key uncertainty in predicting how tropical forests will adjust to future climates. In particular, our knowledge regarding warming responses of photosynthesis, and its underlying biochemical mechanisms, is very limited. We grew seedlings of two tropical montane rainforest tree species, the early‐successional species Harungana montana and the late‐successional species Syzygium guineense , at three different sites along an elevation gradient, differing by 6.8℃ in daytime ambient air temperature. Their physiological and growth performance was investigated at each site. The optimum temperature of net photosynthesis ( T optA ) did not significantly increase in warm‐grown trees in either species. Similarly, the thermal optima ( T optV and T optJ ) and activation energies ( E aV and E aJ ) of maximum Rubisco carboxylation capacity ( V cmax ) and maximum electron transport rate ( J max ) were largely unaffected by warming. However, V cmax , J max and foliar dark respiration ( R d ) at 25℃ were significantly reduced by warming in both species, and this decline was partly associated with concomitant reduction in total leaf nitrogen content. The ratio of J max / V cmax decreased with increasing leaf temperature for both species, but the ratio at 25℃ was constant across sites. Furthermore, in H . montana , stomatal conductance at 25℃ remained constant across the different temperature treatments, while in S . guineense it increased with warming. Total dry biomass increased with warming in H . montana but remained constant in S . guineense . The biomass allocated to roots, stem and leaves was not affected by warming in H . montana , whereas the biomass allocated to roots significantly increased in S . guineense . Overall, our findings show that in these two tropical montane rainforest tree species, the capacity to acclimate the thermal optimum of photosynthesis is limited while warming‐induced reductions in respiration and photosynthetic capacity rates are tightly coupled and linked to responses of leaf nitrogen.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704
OSTI ID:
1808602
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1809075
OSTI ID: 1818830
Journal Information:
Global Change Biology, Journal Name: Global Change Biology Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 27; ISSN 1354-1013
Publisher:
Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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