A test of the 'one-point method' for estimating maximum carboxylation capacity from field-measured, light-saturated photosynthesis

Author(s)
De Kauwe, Martin G
Lin, Yan-Shih
Wright, Ian J
Medlyn, Belinda E
Crous, Kristine Y
Ellsworth, David S
Maire, Vincent
Prentice, I Colin
Atkin, Owen K
Rogers, Alistair
Niinemets, Ulo
Serbin, Shawn P
Meir, Patrick
Uddling, Johan
Togashi, Henrique F
Tarvainen, Lasse
Weerasinghe, Lasantha K
Evans, Bradley J
Ishida, F Yoko
Domingues, Tomas F
Publication Date
2016-05
Abstract
<p> • Simulations of photosynthesis by terrestrial biosphere models typically need a specification of the maximum carboxylation rate (<i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub>). Estimating this parameter using <i>A–C</i><sub>i</sub> curves (net photosynthesis, <i>A</i>, vs intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration, <i>C<sub>i</sub></i> ) is laborious, which limits availability of <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub> data. However, many multispecies field datasets include net photosynthetic rate at saturating irradiance and at ambient atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentration (A<sub>sat</sub>) measurements, from which <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub> can be extracted using a ‘one-point method’.</p> <p>• We used a global dataset of <i>A–C</i><sub>i</sub> curves (564 species from 46 field sites, covering a range of plant functional types) to test the validity of an alternative approach to estimate <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub> from A<sub>sat</sub> via this ‘one-point method’.</p> <p>• If leaf respiration during the day (<i>R<sub>day</sub></i>) is known exactly, <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub> can be estimated with an <i>r <sup>2</sup></i> value of 0.98 and a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 8.19 lmol m<sup>-2</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> . However, <i>R<sub>day</sub></i> typically must be estimated. Estimating <i>R<sub>day</sub></i> as 1.5% of <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub>, we found that <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub> could be estimated with an <i>r <sup>2</sup></i> of 0.95 and an RMSE of 17.1 lmol m<sup>-2</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> .</p> <p>• The one-point method provides a robust means to expand current databases of fieldmeasured <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub>, giving new potential to improve vegetation models and quantify the environmental drivers of <i>V</i><sub>cmax</sub> variation. </p>
Citation
New Phytologist, 210(3), p. 1130-1144
ISSN
1469-8137
0028-646X
Link
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Title
A test of the 'one-point method' for estimating maximum carboxylation capacity from field-measured, light-saturated photosynthesis
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

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