Photosynthetic responses to altitude: an explanation based on optimality principles
Abstract
Ecophysiologists have long been fascinated by the photosynthetic behaviour of alpine plants, which often have to withstand extreme environmental pressures (Gale, 1972; Friend&Woodward, 1990; Korner, 2003, 2007; Shi et al., 2006). About 8%of the world’s land surface is above 1500 maltitude (Korner, 2007). High altitudes can be climatically unusual, often with (for example) low temperatures, strong winds, and now high rates of warming (Korner, 2003; Pepin &Lundquist, 2008; Rangwala&Miller, 2012). Moreover, the low atmospheric pressure provides a set of environmental conditions unique on Earth (Table 1). There has been extensive speculation about altitudinal effects on photosynthesis and, in particular, how to account for the puzzling – but consistently observed – tendencies towards higher carbon dioxide (CO2) drawdown (low ratio of leafinternal to ambient CO2 partial pressures (ci:ca; hereafter, v), resulting in low carbon isotope discrimination) and higher carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) with increasing altitude (Gale, 1972; Korner & Diemer, 1987; Friend et al., 1989; Terashima et al., 1995; Bresson et al., 2009; Zhu et al., 2010). At first glance, it might be expected that CO2 assimilation rates would be reduced at high altitudes due to the low partial pressure of CO2 (Friend & Woodward, 1990). But, actual measured photosynthetic rates aremore »
- Authors:
-
- Northwest A&F Univ., Yangling (China); Macquarie Univ., NSW (Australia)
- Northwest A&F Univ., Yangling (China); Macquarie Univ., NSW (Australia); Imperial College, London (United Kingdom)
- Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)., Ithaca, NY (United States)
- Macquarie Univ., NSW (Australia); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Macquarie Univ., NSW (Australia)
- Northwest A&F Univ., Yangling (China); Univ. of Quebec (Canada)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1379706
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1400592
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231; DE‐AC02‐05CH11231
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- New Phytologist
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 213; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0028-646X
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Citation Formats
Wang, Han, Prentice, I. Colin, Davis, Tyler W., Keenan, Trevor F., Wright, Ian J., and Peng, Changhui. Photosynthetic responses to altitude: an explanation based on optimality principles. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1111/nph.14332.
Wang, Han, Prentice, I. Colin, Davis, Tyler W., Keenan, Trevor F., Wright, Ian J., & Peng, Changhui. Photosynthetic responses to altitude: an explanation based on optimality principles. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14332
Wang, Han, Prentice, I. Colin, Davis, Tyler W., Keenan, Trevor F., Wright, Ian J., and Peng, Changhui. Fri .
"Photosynthetic responses to altitude: an explanation based on optimality principles". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14332. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1379706.
@article{osti_1379706,
title = {Photosynthetic responses to altitude: an explanation based on optimality principles},
author = {Wang, Han and Prentice, I. Colin and Davis, Tyler W. and Keenan, Trevor F. and Wright, Ian J. and Peng, Changhui},
abstractNote = {Ecophysiologists have long been fascinated by the photosynthetic behaviour of alpine plants, which often have to withstand extreme environmental pressures (Gale, 1972; Friend&Woodward, 1990; Korner, 2003, 2007; Shi et al., 2006). About 8%of the world’s land surface is above 1500 maltitude (Korner, 2007). High altitudes can be climatically unusual, often with (for example) low temperatures, strong winds, and now high rates of warming (Korner, 2003; Pepin &Lundquist, 2008; Rangwala&Miller, 2012). Moreover, the low atmospheric pressure provides a set of environmental conditions unique on Earth (Table 1). There has been extensive speculation about altitudinal effects on photosynthesis and, in particular, how to account for the puzzling – but consistently observed – tendencies towards higher carbon dioxide (CO2) drawdown (low ratio of leafinternal to ambient CO2 partial pressures (ci:ca; hereafter, v), resulting in low carbon isotope discrimination) and higher carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) with increasing altitude (Gale, 1972; Korner & Diemer, 1987; Friend et al., 1989; Terashima et al., 1995; Bresson et al., 2009; Zhu et al., 2010). At first glance, it might be expected that CO2 assimilation rates would be reduced at high altitudes due to the low partial pressure of CO2 (Friend & Woodward, 1990). But, actual measured photosynthetic rates are usually as high as, or even higher than, those at low altitudes (Machler & Nosberger, 1977; Korner & Diemer, 1987; Cordell et al., 1999; Shi et al., 2006).},
doi = {10.1111/nph.14332},
journal = {New Phytologist},
number = 3,
volume = 213,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Fri Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}
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