Stomatal sensitivity to vapour pressure deficit of temperate and tropical evergreen rainforest trees of Australia

Although rainforests of eastern Australia grow in regions of high precipitation, there is a shift from a summer dry season in the temperate south to a winter dry season in the tropical north. Therefore, rainforest trees of eastern Australia provide an opportunity to investigate stomatal sensitivity of mesic trees to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) along a gradient in seasonality of precipitation. Eight rainforest canopy tree species were selected to cover the latitudinal range of rainforests in eastern Australia. Seedlings of these species were grown for a year in glasshouses under ambient conditions or at low VPD and water vapour exchange of leaves was measured during summer. Tropical species, which experience summer-dominant precipitation, showed higher stomatal sensitivities to VPD than temperate species, which experience winter-dominant precipitation. Growing plants under a low VPD increased stomatal sensitivity to increasing VPD in most species. The high stomatal sensitivity to VPD of the tropical species is consistent with the infrequent water stress experienced during their growing season and suggests a high susceptibility to water deficits. In contrast, temperate species may use other mechanisms to maintain photosynthesis under the relatively drier conditions of the temperate growing season.     

Effects of vapour pressure deficit on growth of temperate and tropical evergreen rainforest trees of Australia

Little is known about the effect of vapour pressure deficit (VPD) on the growth of trees. Rainforest trees of eastern Australia provide an opportunity to investigate responses to VPD in species that occur in high precipitation areas but have contrasting dry seasons—summer in the temperate south and winter in the tropical north. Growth responses to VPD were measured in eight species of Australian rainforest trees from different latitudes to investigate possible differences in their response to atmospheric drought. Previous work on these species found that the tropical species have large reductions in gas exchange with increasing VPD whereas the temperate species were mainly unresponsive to increasing VPD. Plants were grown in glasshouses for a year under either low VPD or ambient conditions of a temperate climate. All species had non-significant increases in growth rates (1–9%) of plants grown under low VPD compared with plants grown under ambient VPD. In addition, growing the species under low VPD had no effect on allocation of biomass (leaf area ratio, leaf weight ratio and root/shoot ratio). Therefore, the high sensitivity of gas exchange to increasing VPD found in the tropical rainforest trees did not have a significant, long-term effect on growth under high VPD.     

Comparison of temperate and tropical rainforest tree species: photosynthetic responses to growth temperature

Little is known about the differences in physiology between temperate and tropical trees. Australian rainforests extend from tropical climates in the north to temperate climates in the south over a span of 33° latitude. Therefore, they provide an opportunity to investigate differences in the physiology of temperate and tropical trees within the same vegetation type. This study investigated how the response of net photosynthesis to growth temperature differed between Australian temperate and tropical rainforest trees and how this correlated with differences in their climates. The temperate species showed their maximum rate of net photosynthesis at lower growth temperatures than the tropical species. However, the temperate species showed at least 80% of maximum net photosynthesis over a 12-16°C span of growth temperature, compared with a span of 9-11°C shown by the tropical species. The tropical species showed both larger reductions in maximum net photosynthesis at low growth temperatures and larger reductions in the optimum instantaneous temperature for net photosynthesis with decreasing growth temperature than the temperate species. The ability of the temperate species to maintain maximum net photosynthesis over a greater span of growth temperatures than the tropical species is consistent with the greater seasonal and day-to-day variation in temperature of the temperate climate compared with the tropical climate.     

热带季节雨林生态系统净光合作用特征及其影响因子

以西双版纳热带季节雨林生态系统为对象,利用涡度相关系统定量分析了2003-2006年该生态系统光合作用特征及其环境控制因子.结果表明： 2003-2006年西双版纳热带季节雨林生态系统净光合作用年际变化较小,其最大光合速率(P_eco,opt)、昼间呼吸速率(R_eco,d)和表观量子效率(α)平均值分别为-0.813 mg·m^-2·s^-1、0.238 mg·m^-2·s^-1和-0.0023 mg·μmol^-1受气温(T_a)和饱和水汽压差(VPD)等环境因子的交互影响,不同季节生态系统光合作用特征有所差异.雨季的降水量大、气温较高,生态系统的光合能力最强;雾凉季的浓雾为植物提供了部分水分,其光合水平仍较高;干热季气温较高、降水少,T_a和VPD升高,P_eco,opt和α下降.净生态系统CO₂交换主要受>20 ℃的T_a和>1 kPa VPD的影响.     

Seasonality of peak metabolic rate in non‐migrant tropical birds

Birds that are year‐round residents of temperate and tropical regions have divergent life histories. Tropical birds have a slower ‘pace of life’, one characteristic of which includes lower peak metabolic rate and daily activity levels. Temperate resident birds are faced with seasonal variation in thermogenic demand. This challenge is met with seasonally increased peak metabolic rate during winter. These thermogenic demands are much lower in birds that are year‐round tropical residents. By measuring peak (summit) metabolic rate in tropical and temperate resident bird species during summer and winter, we asked whether tropical birds exhibit seasonality in peak metabolic rate, and if the direction of seasonality differs between tropical and temperate species. We measured summit metabolism in seven tropical and one temperate species during the winter and during the summer breeding season to test the hypothesis that summit metabolism of tropical residents would change seasonally. We consider whether metabolic seasonality is associated with breeding season for tropical species. We found that summit metabolism was significantly greater during the summer for most tropical residents, while the temperate resident matched several previous reports with higher summit metabolism in winter. We conclude that metabolic seasonality occurs in tropical residents and differs from temperate residents, suggesting that breeding during the summer may be driving relatively higher metabolism as compared to winter thermogenesis in temperate birds.     

Light and VPD gradients drive foliar nitrogen partitioning and photosynthesis in the canopy of European beech and silver fir

While foliar photosynthetic relationships with light, nitrogen, and water availability have been well described, environmental factors driving vertical gradients of foliar traits within forest canopies are still not well understood. We, therefore, examined how light availability and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) co-determine vertical gradients (between 12 and 42 m and in the understorey) of foliar photosynthetic capacity (Amax), 13C fractionation (∆), specific leaf area (SLA), chlorophyll (Chl), and nitrogen (N) concentrations in canopies of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba growing in a mixed forest in Switzerland in spring and summer 2017. Both species showed lower Chl/N and lower SLA with higher light availability and VPD at the top canopy. Despite these biochemical and morphological acclimations, Amax during summer remained relatively constant and the photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE) decreased with higher light availability for both species, suggesting suboptimal N allocation within the canopy. ∆ of both species were lower at the canopy top compared to the bottom, indicating high water-use efficiency (WUE). VPD gradients strongly co-determined the vertical distribution of Chl, N, and PNUE in F. sylvatica, suggesting stomatal limitation of photosynthesis in the top canopy, whereas these traits were only related to light availability in A. alba. Lower PNUE in F. sylvatica with higher WUE clearly indicated a trade-off in water vs. N use, limiting foliar acclimation to high light and VPD at the top canopy. Species-specific trade-offs in foliar acclimation to environmental canopy gradients may thus be considered for scaling photosynthesis from leaf to canopy to landscape levels.     

Photosynthetic response of four fern species from different habitats to drought stress: relationship between morpho-anatomical and physiological traits

Ferns flourish in many habitats, from epiphytic to terrestrial and from sunny to shady, and such varied conditions require contrasting photosynthetic strategies to cope with drought. Four species of temperate ferns from different habitats were subjected to drought by withholding irrigation in order to investigate their photosynthetic responses. Lepisorus thunbergianus (epiphytic) had low stomatal density and showed high water-use efficiency (WUE) retaining photosynthetic activity with low relative frond water content under drought stress, which suggested their high adaptation to drought. On the other hand, low WUE with low light-saturated photosynthetic rate in Adiantum pedatum (terrestrial, shady environment) was associated with much lower photosynthesis than in the other species under drought stress, suggesting lower adaptation to drought-prone habitats. Morphological stomatal traits such as stomatal density and photosynthetic response to drought in ferns involved species-specific adaptation to survive and grow in their natural habitats with different levels of drought.     

The Responses of Net Photosynthesis to Vapour Pressure Deficit and CO2 Concentration in Spartina townsendii (sensu lato), a C4 Species from a Cool Temperate Climate

As the initial part of a detailed study of photosynthetic CO₂assimilation in the temperate C₄ grass, Spartina townsendii,the responses of net photosynthesis to the leaf-air vapour pressuredeficit (VPD) and to CO₂ concentration are examined. Water vapourand CO₂ exchange for single attached leaves were measured undercontrolled-environment conditions in an open gas-exchange system.The responses of net photosynthesis, stomatal resistance (r_s),and residual resistance (r_r) to vapour pressure deficit(VPD)and CO₂ concentration under a range of light and temperatureconditions are reported. Net photosynthesis was insensitiveto increase in the VPD up to 1.0 kPa, but beyond this valuenet photosynthesis decreased with further increase in VPD asa result of an increase in r_s. The residual resistance was notaffected by VPD under any of the conditions examined. Net photosynthesisresponded linearly to increase in the CO₂ concentration in theexternal air (C_a up to the normal atmospheric concentrationwhere there was a sharp change in the response, net photosynthesisbeing independent of any further increase in C_a. Differencesbetween the response curves observed here and in other studiesare discussed and the possible reasons for these differencesare considered.     

Microclimate and production of peat moss Sphagnum palustre L. in the warm‐temperate zone

Sphagnum palustre L. is one of the few Sphagnum species distributed in the warm‐temperate zone. To elucidate the mechanisms that enable S. palustre to maintain its productivity under warm climatic conditions, we examined the temperature conditions and photosynthetic characteristics of this species in a lowland wetland in western Japan. Moss temperatures during the daytime were much lower than the air temperature, particularly during summer. The optimum temperature for the net photosynthetic rate was approximately 20°C, irrespective of the season, but summer and autumn samples maintained high rates at higher temperatures as well. The net photosynthetic rate at near light saturation was much higher during summer–autumn than during spring–winter. A model estimation in which net production was calculated from the photosynthetic characteristics and microclimatic data showed that both the low temperature of the moss colony and the seasonal shift in photosynthetic characteristics are among the mechanisms that enable this species to maintain its productivity under warm climatic conditions.     

西双版纳热带雨林中两种生态型蕨类植物的光合特性比较研究

通过比较分布于西双版纳热带雨林林下生境中的附生鸟巢蕨(Neottopteris nidus)和地生网脉铁角蕨(Asplenium finlaysonianum)的光合特征和光合诱导特性, 来研究不同生态型蕨类植物的光斑利用策略。研究结果表明, 2种蕨类植物的最大净光合速率、暗呼吸速率、表观量子效率、光饱和点和光补偿点没有显著差异, 但网脉铁角蕨的最大气孔导度远远高于鸟巢蕨, 表明后者具有更强的光合水分利用效率。在暗处理3小时接着光照(光强为20 mmol .m-2.s-1)30分钟后, 网脉铁角蕨的初始气孔导度显著高于鸟巢蕨。连续照射饱和强光后, 网脉铁角蕨达到最大净光合速率50%(T50%)和90%的时间(T90%)比鸟巢蕨短: 网脉铁角蕨和鸟巢蕨的T50%分别为0.57和5.31分钟, T90%分别为5.85和26.33分钟。诱导过程中, 气孔导度对强光的响应明显滞后于净光合速率。鸟巢蕨达到最大气孔导度的时间明显比网脉铁角蕨慢, 但在光合诱导消失过程中2种蕨类植物的 光合诱导维持能力却没有显著差异。上述结果表明, 与大多数地生林下植物(如网脉铁角蕨)相比, 附生鸟巢蕨的水分保护比碳获得更重要, 但却限制了附生蕨对光斑的利用。     

Photosynthesis drives anomalies in net carbon-exchange of pine forests at different latitudes

The growth rate of atmospheric CO₂ exhibits large temporal variation that is largely determined by year‐to‐year fluctuations in land–atmosphere CO₂ fluxes. This land–atmosphere CO₂‐flux is driven by large‐scale biomass burning and variation in net ecosystem exchange (NEE). Between‐ and within years, NEE varies due to fluctuations in climate. Studies on climatic influences on inter‐ and intra‐annual variability in gross photosynthesis (GPP) and net carbon uptake in terrestrial ecosystems have shown conflicting results. These conflicts are in part related to differences in methodology and in part to the limited duration of some studies. Here, we introduce an observation‐driven methodology that provides insight into the dependence of anomalies in CO₂ fluxes on climatic conditions. The methodology was applied on fluxes from a boreal and two temperate pine forests. Annual anomalies in NEE were dominated by anomalies in GPP, which in turn were correlated with incident radiation and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). At all three sites positive anomalies in NEE (a reduced uptake or a stronger source than the daily sites specific long‐term average) were observed on summer days characterized by low incident radiation, low VPD and high precipitation. Negative anomalies in NEE occurred mainly on summer days characterized by blue skies and mild temperatures. Our study clearly highlighted the need to use weather patterns rather than single climatic variables to understand anomalous CO₂ fluxes. Temperature generally showed little direct effect on anomalies in NEE but became important when the mean daily air temperature exceeded 23 °C. On such days GPP decreased likely because VPD exceeded 2.0 kPa, inhibiting photosynthetic uptake. However, while GPP decreased, the high temperature stimulated respiration, resulting in positive anomalies in NEE. Climatic extremes in summer were more frequent and severe in the South than in the North, and had larger effects in the South because the criteria to inhibit photosynthesis are more often met.     

Ecophysiology of the Soft Tree Fern,Dicksonia antarctica Labill

Abstract Environmental constraints on gas exchange, stomatal conductance and water relations were investigated in the Soft Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica, at sites across its natural distribution and in the glasshouse. Dicksonia antarctica exhibited strong stomatal response down to a vapour pressure deficit (VPD) of 0.25 kPa, an unusual characteristic when compared with other ground fern species. Net photosynthetic rate may be a response of the microenvironment prevalent during frond development, reflecting acclimatory capacity. Both these ecophysiological characteristics are consistent with the ecological niche of D. antarctica, a long‐lived, fire‐resistant species that, during its lifetime, may be exposed to: (i) a humid environment beneath a rainforest canopy; and (ii) an exposed environment following wildfire. Maximum net photosynthesis and quantum yield of photosynthesis correlated strongly with VPD and the maximum net photosynthetic rate of 10.8 µmol m^?2 s^?1 was the highest yet recorded for a fern. These observations are consistent with the relatively low growth typically observed in D. antarctica on sunny, exposed sites and vice versa on cool, humid sites exposed to sunflecks. Favourable water relations maintained under conditions of moderate VPD (2.03 kPa) were probably due to stomatal control. However, inadequate rainfall or high VPD (4.98 kPa) caused water stress, recovery of which was limited by slow water transport through fronds. These observations are consistent with the limitation of D. antarctica distribution to sites sheltered from hot winds and with reliable water supply. The funnel‐shaped rosette of fronds of D. antarctica may harvest rainfall and make it accessible to aerial roots situated at the base of fronds. This process may maintain favourable water relations independently of a subterranean root system. This proposed strategy of water acquisition is unique for a fern species and may eliminate a need for soil moisture competition with surrounding plant species. It is suggested that the ecophysiological characteristics observed in D. antarctica in this study may contribute to the ecological niche it occupies, which is characterized by a variable environment.     

Photosynthetic capacity and leaf nitrogen decline along a controlled climate gradient in provenances of two widely distributed Eucalyptus species

Climate is an important factor limiting tree distributions and adaptation to different thermal environments may influence how tree populations respond to climate warming. Given the current rate of warming, it has been hypothesized that tree populations in warmer, more thermally stable climates may have limited capacity to respond physiologically to warming compared to populations from cooler, more seasonal climates. We determined in a controlled environment how several provenances of widely distributed Eucalyptus tereticornis and E. grandis adjusted their photosynthetic capacity to +3.5°C warming along their native distribution range (~16–38°S) and whether climate of seed origin of the provenances influenced their response to different growth temperatures. We also tested how temperature optima (T_opt) of photosynthesis and J_max responded to higher growth temperatures. Our results showed increased photosynthesis rates at a standardized temperature with warming in temperate provenances, while rates in tropical provenances were reduced by about 40% compared to their temperate counterparts. Temperature optima of photosynthesis increased as provenances were exposed to warmer growth temperatures. Both species had ~30% reduced photosynthetic capacity in tropical and subtropical provenances related to reduced leaf nitrogen and leaf Rubisco content compared to temperate provenances. Tropical provenances operated closer to their thermal optimum and came within 3% of the T_opt of J_max during the daily temperature maxima. Hence, further warming may negatively affect C uptake and tree growth in warmer climates, whereas eucalypts in cooler climates may benefit from moderate warming.     

6种热带雨林木本植物幼苗光合诱导的研究

 在晴天上午适宜条件下,测定了生长在模拟林下光环境中的6种热带雨林木本植物幼苗的光合特性和光合诱导特征。6种植物分别为先锋树种大穗野桐(Mallotus macrostachys),冠层树种绒毛番龙眼(Pometia tomentosa)、玉蕊(Barringtonia pendala)、望天树(Shorea chinensis)、滇南插柚紫(Linociera insignis)和林下灌木睫毛粗叶木(Lasianthus hookeri)。研究结果表明：暗处理3 h的叶片经连续饱和强光照射后,6种植物的净光合速率呈s形到双曲线形。6种植物达到90%最大净光合速率的时间为4.4～12.5 min,这与所报道的其它热带雨林中一些阴生植物的诱导速率相近。大穗野桐和睫毛粗叶木的诱导速率最快,达到50%和90%最大净光合速率的时间为其它4种冠层植物幼苗的1/2至1/3。诱导过程中,最大气孔导度对强光的响应明显滞后于净光合速率。充分诱导的叶片在黑暗中20 min后,6种植物的诱导状态都较高。其中,大穗野桐的诱导状态消失相对较快,这可能与其气孔导度和羧化能力的快速降低有关。玉蕊诱导状态的消失主要与生化限制有关,因为此时它的气孔导度仍维持相对较高的值。而睫毛粗叶木较高的气孔导度和羧化能力的维持导致了很高的诱导状态。林下植物这种对强光的快速反应和黑暗中高的维持状态对有效利用光斑具有重要的意义,这与其一生中在林下生长和更新的特点是一致的。     

Ecophysiological response and morphological adjustment of two Central Asian desert shrubs towards variation in summer precipitation

As part of global climate change, variation in precipitation in arid ecosystems is leading to plant adaptation in water-use strategies; significant interspecific differences in response will change the plant composition of desert communities. This integrated study on the ecophysiological and individual morphological scale investigated the response, acclimation and adaptation of two desert shrubs, with different water-use strategies, to variations in water conditions. The experiments were carried out on two native dominant desert shrubs, Tamarix ramosissima and Haloxylon ammodendron, under three precipitation treatments (natural, double and no precipitation, respectively), in their original habitats on the southern periphery of Gurbantonggut Desert, Central Asia, during the growing season in 2005. Changes in photosynthesis, transpiration, leaf water potential, water-use efficiency, above-ground biomass accumulation and root distribution of the two species were examined and compared under the contrasting precipitation treatments. There were significant interspecific differences in water-use strategy and maintenance of photosynthesis under variation in precipitation. For the phreatophyte T. ramosissima, physiological activity and biomass accumulation rely on the stable groundwater, which shields it from fluctuation in the water status of the upper soil layers caused by precipitation. For the non-phreatophyte H. ammodendron, efficient morphological adjustment, combined with strong stomatal control, contributes to its acclimation to variation in precipitation. On account of its positive responses to increased precipitation, H. ammodendron is predicted to succeed in interspecific competition in a future, moister habitat.     

Comparison of temperate and tropical rainforest tree species: growth responses to temperature

Abstract Aim To investigate whether the latitudinal distribution of rainforest trees in Australia can be explained by their growth responses to temperature. Methods The rainforest canopy trees Acmena smithii (Poir.) Merrill & Perry, Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br., Castanospermum australe Cunn. & C. Fraser ex Hook., Eucryphia lucida (Labill.) Baill., Heritiera trifoliolata (F. Muell.) Kosterm., Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook.) Oerst., Sloanea woollsii F. Muell. and Tristaniopsis laurina (Sm.) Wilson & Waterhouse were selected to cover the latitudinal range of rainforests in eastern Australia. Seedlings of these species were grown under a range of day/night temperature regimes (14/6, 19/11, 22/14, 25/17, and 30/22 °C) in controlled‐environment cabinets. These seedlings were harvested after 16 weeks to determine differences in growth rate and biomass allocation among species and temperature regimes. Results The temperate species showed maximum growth at lower temperatures than the tropical species. However, there was considerable overlap in the growth rates of the temperate and tropical rainforest types across the temperature range used. Maximum growth of the tropical rainforest types was associated with changes in biomass allocation whereas the temperate rainforest types showed no significant changes in biomass allocation across the temperature range. Main conclusions All species showed temperatures for maximum growth that were considerably higher than those previously shown for maximum net photosynthesis. The growth responses to temperature of the rainforest species under these experimental conditions provided limited evidence for their restriction to certain latitudes. These growth responses to temperature showed that the physiological assumptions used in various types of vegetation‐climate models may not be true of Australian rainforest trees.     

The North American Monsoon buffers forests against the ongoing megadrought in the Southwestern United States

The US Southwest has been entrenched in a two-decade-long megadrought (MD), the most severe since 800 CE, which threatens the long-term vitality and persistence of regional montane forests. Here, we report that in the face of record low winter precipitation and increasing atmospheric aridity, seasonal activity of the North American Monsoon (NAM) climate system brings sufficient precipitation during the height of the summer to alleviate extreme tree water stress. We studied seasonally resolved, tree-ring stable carbon isotope ratios across a 57-year time series (1960–2017) in 17 Ponderosa pine forests distributed across the NAM geographic domain. Our study focused on the isotope dynamics of latewood (LW), which is produced in association with NAM rains. During the MD, populations growing within the core region of the NAM operated at lower intrinsic and higher evaporative water-use efficiencies (WUE_i and WUE_E, respectively), compared to populations growing in the periphery of the NAM domain, indicating less physiological water stress in those populations with access to NAM moisture. The disparities in water-use efficiencies in periphery populations are due to a higher atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and reduced access to summer soil moisture. The buffering advantage of the NAM, however, is weakening. We observed that since the MD, the relationship between WUE_i and WUE_E in forests within the core NAM domain is shifting toward a drought response similar to forests on the periphery of the NAM. After correcting for past increases in the atmospheric CO₂ concentration, we were able to isolate the LW time-series responses to climate alone. This showed that the shift in the relation between WUE_i and WUE_E was driven by the extreme increases in MD-associated VPD, with little advantageous influence on stomatal conductance from increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentration.     

C4 photosynthesis evolved in warm climates but promoted migration to cooler ones

C₄ photosynthesis is considered an adaptation to warm climates, where its functional benefits are greatest and C₄ plants achieve their highest diversity and dominance. However, whether inherent physiological barriers impede the persistence of C₄ species in cool environments remains debated. Here, we use large grass phylogenetic and geographical distribution data sets to test whether (1) temperature influences the rate of C₄ origins, (2) photosynthetic types affect the rate of migration among climatic zones, and (3) C₄ evolution changes the breadth of the temperature niche. Our analyses show that C₄ photosynthesis in grasses originated in tropical climates, and that C₃ grasses were more likely to colonise cold climates. However, migration rates among tropical and temperate climates were higher in C₄ grasses. Therefore, while the origins of C₄ photosynthesis were concentrated in tropical climates, its physiological benefits across a broad temperature range expanded the niche into warmer climates and enabled diversification into cooler environments.     

Time of emergence of novel climates for North American migratory bird populations

To better understand the ecological implications of global climate change for species that display geographically and seasonally dynamic life‐history strategies, we need to determine where and when novel climates are projected to first emerge. Here, we use a multivariate approach to estimate time of emergence (ToE) of novel climates based on three climate variables (precipitation, minimum and maximum temperature) at a weekly temporal resolution within the Western Hemisphere over a 280‐yr period (2021–2300) under a high emissions scenario (RCP8.5). We intersect ToE estimates with weekly estimates of relative abundance for 77 passerine bird species that migrate between temperate breeding grounds in North America and southern tropical and subtropical wintering grounds using observations from the eBird citizen‐science database. During the non‐breeding season, migrants that winter within the tropics are projected to encounter novel climates during the second half of this century. Migrants that winter in the subtropics are projected to encounter novel climates during the first half of the next century. During the beginning of the breeding season, migrants on their temperate breeding grounds are projected to encounter novel climates during the first half of the next century. During the end of the breeding season, migrants are projected to encounter novel climates during the second half of this century. Thus, novel climates will first emerge ca 40–50 yr earlier during the second half of the breeding season. These results emphasize the large seasonal and spatial variation in the formation of novel climates, and the pronounced challenges migratory birds are likely to encounter during this century, especially on their tropical wintering grounds and during the transition from breeding to migration. When assessing the ecological implications of climate change, our findings emphasize the value of applying a full annual cycle perspective using standardized metrics that promote comparisons across space and time.     

油页岩废渣地12种木本植物光合作用的季节变化

研究了引种在油页岩工业废渣地12种木本植物冬、夏季光合作用特征,根据此评价引种植物的光合作用效率,测定的主要参数包括净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(T_r)和气孔导度(G_s)。结果表明:1) 冬、夏季各项测定指标差异很大,P_n、T_r、G_s均是夏季高于冬季,而且,夏季平均P_n、T_r和G_s值要比冬季均值分别高60.9%、77.7%和85.7%,但水分利用效率(WUE)却是冬季高于夏季26.8%~77.2%。2) P_n日变化节律冬、夏季有异,夏季较多的种出现“双峰型”,而冬季较多出现“单峰型”。但也有例外,樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)冬、夏季均出现“单峰”;油榄仁(Terminalia bellirica)、红胶木(Tristania conferta)和柚木(Tectona grandis)冬、夏季均出现“双峰”;海南蒲桃(Syzygium cumini)则冬季为“双峰”,夏季为“单峰”。3) 若某一植物种在冬、夏季都表现出有较高的P_n日均值,相对于另一种植物其中有一季有较高的P_n,说明前者更适应当地环境生长。据此,以冬、夏季P_n日均值的平均值高低排序,评价参试植物在当地自然光照条件下的光合作用效率高低,树种的排序为:大叶相思(Acacia auriculiformis)、油榄仁、铁刀木(Cassia siamea)、云南石梓(Gmelina arborea)、柚木、红胶木、樟树、海南红豆(Ormosia pinnata)、铁冬青(Ilex rotunda)、海南蒲桃、双翼豆(Peltophorum ptetocarpum)和海南翅萍婆(Pterygota alata)。