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Leaf-level photosynthetic capacity dynamics in relation to soil and foliar nutrients along forest–savanna boundaries in Ghana and Brazil
- Source :
- Tree Physiology. 38:1912-1925
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Oxford University Press (OUP), 2018.
-
Abstract
- Forest-savanna boundaries extend across large parts of the tropics but the variability of photosynthetic capacity in relation to soil and foliar nutrients across these transition zones is poorly understood. For this reason, we compared photosynthetic capacity (maximum rate of carboxylation of Rubisco at 25 C° (Vcmax25), leaf mass, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) per unit leaf area (LMA, Narea, Parea and Karea, respectively), in relation to respective soil nutrients from 89 species at seven sites along forest-savanna ecotones in Ghana and Brazil. Contrary to our expectations, edaphic conditions were not reflected in foliar nutrient concentrations but LMA was slightly higher in lower fertility soils. Overall, each vegetation type within the ecotones demonstrated idiosyncratic and generally weak relationships between Vcmax25 and Narea, Parea and Karea. Species varied significantly in their Vcmax25 ↔ Narea relationship due to reduced investment of total Narea in photosynthetic machinery with increasing LMA. We suggest that studied species in the forest-savanna ecotones do not maximize Vcmax25 per given total Narea due to adaptation to intermittent water availability. Our findings have implications for global modeling of Vcmax25 and forest-savanna ecotone productivity.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Physiology
Plant Science
Forests
Biology
Ghana
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Grassland
Soil
Nutrient
Vegetation type
Photosynthesis
geography
geography.geographical_feature_category
Edaphic
Nutrients
Ecotone
Photosynthetic capacity
Plant Leaves
Productivity (ecology)
Agronomy
Soil water
Brazil
010606 plant biology & botany
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17584469
- Volume :
- 38
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Tree Physiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....c0db8837bccd7db41ada9ccbd4b73bde