黄土高原半干旱区柠条(Caragana korshinskii)树干液流动态及其影响因子

应用热脉冲技术在黄土高原神木县六道沟小流域于2006年6月13至25日测定了两种不同密度柠条(Caragana korshinskii)群落的树干液流动态.同时测量了土壤水分、太阳辐射、大气温度、相对湿度、风速、水汽压亏缺和作物参考蒸散等环境因子,并根据植物蒸腾的P-M公式,反推计算冠层导度.结果表明,除风速外,柠条树木液流与太阳辐射、大气温度、相对湿度、水汽压亏缺、作物参考蒸散均显著相关,且可用太阳辐射的线性表达式来估测.不同密度群落的日蒸腾量随叶面积指数增大而增加,叶面积指数为2.3的群落平均日蒸腾为3.83mm d-1m-2,而叶面积指数为1.1的林分平均日蒸腾1.64mm d-1m-2.冠层导度与气象因子关系复杂,当土壤水分不存在亏缺时,冠层导度与太阳辐射、大气温度、作物参考蒸散因子显著相关,与水汽亏缺和相对湿度因子无相关性;当土壤水分存在亏缺时,冠层导度与太阳辐射、大气温度、作物参考蒸散因子无相关关系,而与水汽亏缺和相对湿度因子显著相关.     

基于改进SW模型的千烟洲人工林蒸散组分拆分及其特征

蒸散组分拆分是准确评估陆地生态系统生产力以及估算水分利用效率的重要基础。利用改进后的Shuttleworth-Wallace模型,将蒸散拆分为植被蒸腾、土壤蒸发和冠层截留蒸发,并采用Monte Carlo随机参数化方案对模型参数进行优化。将模型与千烟洲亚热带人工针叶林站点的2011年涡度相关及小气候观测资料结合,对千烟洲人工林蒸散及其组分进行模拟。研究结果表明:半小时尺度上蒸散量模拟值与实测值的一致性在晴天和雨天都较高。半小时尺度上全年蒸散模拟值与实测值的决定系数、均方根误差和平均偏差为0.73、1.55 mmol m~(-2)s~(-1)和0.21 mmol m~(-2)s~(-1)。蒸散是该生态系统水分输出的最主要贡献项,占全年降水的80%。在蒸散中,植被蒸腾约占总蒸散量的85%,可推测2011年千烟洲人工林生态系统有较高的水分利用效率。该生态系统的蒸腾量季节变化明显,主要受饱和水汽压差和气温两种环境因素以及植被的叶面积指数影响且与三者均呈正相关;土壤蒸发约占总蒸散量的5%,季节变化平缓;模拟的冠层截留蒸发量约占总蒸散量的10%,季节变化大,与降水量呈正相关,与暴雨频次呈负相关,说明冠层无法有效截留强降水。该模型参数较少、时间分辨率高且可以有效模拟蒸散及其组分特征,是陆地生态系统水分循环过程研究有力的模型工具。     

城市绿地冠层导度季节变化及其环境调控

冠层导度(canopy conductance,gc)是生态系统对环境响应的敏感性指标,探讨冠层导度对环境因素的响应模式对了解生态系统生产力的变化模式至关重要。城市绿地作为人为设计的复合生态系统,其冠层导度变化规律及其对环境因子的响应亟待明确。基于涡度相关方法,本研究调查了北京奥林匹克森林公园2012-2016年连续5年的冠层导度的季节动态变化及其对空气温度(Ta)、光合有效辐射(PAR)、饱和水汽压差(VPD)以及土壤含水量(VWC)等环境因子的响应,利用统计回归方法分析了环境因子对冠层导度的影响,最后分析了冠层导度对总生态系统生产力(GEP)的影响。结果表明:2012-2016年的冠层导度依次为3.97、3.28、2.13、3.95和5.07 mm·s^-1,5年平均值为3.69±1.99 mm·s^-1;季节变化表现为从4月开始逐渐升高,在7、8月达到最大值后逐渐降低;在季节尺度上,VWC和Ta是影响冠层导度的主要环境因子,冠层导度随它们的增加而增大;而PAR和VPD对冠层导度的影响存在年际间的差异;5年间,GEP随着冠层导度的升高显著增大;城市绿地中,季节尺度上土壤水分的增加和气温的升高显著增加冠层导度,从而促进GEP。     

塔里木河下游河岸柽柳林冠层导度变化特征及模拟

冠层导度(G_c)对植被的蒸腾和光合作用具有重要影响。利用涡度相关仪器实测了塔里木河下游河岸柽柳林地的蒸散发,以及气象因子(温度、湿度、总辐射、光和有效辐射),并利用Penman-Monteith公式计算了柽柳林在2013年生长季的冠层导度。结果显示:柽柳林冠层导度日变化过程在8:00左右迅速增大,于10:30左右达到最大值,之后缓慢下降,18:00左右快速降低;柽柳林冠层导度季节变化过程总体显示,展叶期缓慢上升,落叶期迅速下降,生长盛期缓慢波动下降;研究区,叶面积指数(LAI)是影响柽柳冠层导度季节变化的主要因素,其次为温度(T)、光合有效辐射(PAR)、总辐射(S)、空气饱和差(VPD);四元线性回归方程可以较好地拟合冠层导度与各因子的关系,利用2013年奇数天数据建立回归方程,对偶数天冠层导度值进行模拟和验证,RMSE值为0.169 mm/s,NSE值为0.814,达到了较高的模拟精度。     

北京永定河沿河沙地杨树人工林光能利用效率

光能利用效率(LUE)是影响生态系统生产力大小和质量的主要因素。以位于北京市大兴区永定河沿河沙地的杨树(欧美107/108,Populus euramericana cv.)人工林生态系统作为研究对象,依托涡度相关观测系统,对该生态系统的LUE进行研究,从而确定LUE在不同时间尺度上的影响因子,并确定最大光能利用利用效率(LUEmax)。结果表明:LUE存在明显的季节变化趋势,4月份生长季开始后LUE迅速升高,到7—8月达到最大,而后逐渐降低;在生长季不同阶段,LUE日动态的影响因子不同:4月份气温(Ta)、蒸散比(EF)和饱和水汽压差(VPD)是影响LUE日动态的主要因子,7、8月份光合有效辐射(PAR)和冠层导度(gc)是主要影响因子,5—6月与9—10月LUE日动态则与土壤水分(VWC)有较大关系;而LUE月动态则与月蒸散比(EFm)和月平均土壤温度(Tsm)有关。由于该人工林各月光能利用最适宜环境条件不同,各月LUEmax也各有差异,该生态系统年LUEmax为0.44 g C/MJ PAR,7、8月LUEmax最大,分别为0.66和0.69 g C/MJ PAR。研究结果表明,在利用光能利用模型进行区域乃至全球初级生产力估算时需要根据研究的不同时间尺度确定LUEmax。     

华南桉树人工林树液流通量及蒸散作用(英文)

通过对广东省湛江市雷州半岛桉树(Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake)人工林的树液流通量、环境因子、土壤蒸发、林冠截留和林分特性相关指标一年多的连续观测,以及通过一个理论公式对日蒸散量的计算,得出了如下结论:(1)土壤特性及由此决定的土壤水势对树液流通量,以及树液流通量密度(SFD)与气温的关系有一定影响;(2)林冠层的VPD(空气饱和差)对SFD有显著影响;(3)由测定和计算得来的蒸散量在河头和纪家分别有5.26％和6.14％的偏差,可以认为这两种方法有较好的一致性;(4)河头和纪家的林分蒸腾量占总蒸散量百分比分别为62.2％和51.3％;(5)树种单位叶面积水平上的SFD是评价该树种水分利用的重要指标。     

中国区域植被叶面积指数时空分布——机理模型模拟与遥感反演比较

叶面积指数是表征植被冠层特征的重要参数,同时也是决定生态系统净初级生产力的重要因子,它对全球变化和生态系统碳循环研究具有重要意义。目前大范围的叶面积指数只能通过遥感反演和机理模型模拟获得,而通过这两种方法获取的叶面积指数都存在一定的不确定性。利用大气-植被相互作用模型(AVIM2)在0.1°×0.1°经纬度网格上模拟产生了中国区域叶面积指数并与两套使用不同遥感反演方法生成的叶面积指数在空间分布和季节变化特征方面进行了比较。通过比较说明中国区域植被叶面积指数分布主要受水分条件限制,整体呈现东南部高西北部低的趋势。中国区域植被生长的季节变化受季风影响显著,与气温及地表太阳辐射的季节变化趋势相一致。中国区域叶面积指数整体呈现夏季高、春秋季次之而冬季低的趋势。     

华南桉树人工林树液流通量及蒸散作用

通过对广东省湛江市雷州半岛桉树(Eucalyptus urophylla S.T.Blake)人工林的树液流通量、环境因子、土壤蒸发、林冠截留和林分特性相关指标一年多的连续观测,以及通过一个理论公式对日蒸散量的计算,得出了如下结论:(1)土壤特性及由此决定的土壤水势对树液流通量,以及树液流通量密度(SFD)与气温的关系有一定影响;(2)林冠层的VPD(空气饱和差)对SFD有显著影响;(3)由测定和计算得来的蒸散量在河头和纪家分别有5.26%和6.14%的偏差,可以认为这两种方法有较好的一致性;(4)河头和纪家的林分蒸腾量占总蒸散量百分比分别为62.2%和51.3%;(5)树种单位叶面积水平上的SFD是评价该树种水分利用的重要指标.     

安吉毛竹林水汽通量变化特征及其与环境因子的关系

以浙江省安吉县毛竹(Phyllostachys edulis)林生态系统为研究对象,利用涡度相关技术进行观测,获取2011年毛竹林的水汽通量数据,同时结合常规气象观测数据,分析了水汽通量全年变化。结果表明:毛竹林全年水汽通量基本为正值,月尺度上,水汽通量呈单峰型变化趋势,且各月的最大值均在12:00—14:00出现,呈现一定规律性,7月(0.1116 g m-2s-1)最高,12月(0.0209 g m-2s-1)最低;季节尺度上,夏季最高(0.0873 g m-2s-1),呈现典型单峰型变化趋势,春秋季(均为0.0541 g m-2s-1)次之,变化特征与夏季相似,冬季最低(0.0221 g m-2s-1),曲线变化复杂,波动较大。毛竹林全年蒸散量占全年降水量48.26%。2、4、5、11、12月蒸散量略大于降水量,其余月份蒸散量均小于降水量,6月份降水量与蒸散量差别最大。季节尺度上,对毛竹林水汽通量与净辐射进行回归关系分析,夏季最大,R2为0.6111,秋季为0.5295,春季为0.2605,冬季最小0.0455。通过F检验,水汽通量与净辐射有极显著线性关系。在植物生长期,毛竹林水汽通量随饱和水汽压差的增大而增大,植物发育成熟后,当饱和水汽压差增大到一定程度时,其增大反而抑制了水分的蒸散。     

基于SVAT模型的冬小麦光合作用和蒸散过程研究

在已建立的土壤－植被－大气传输（SVAT）模型中,冠层光合作用／气孔导度耦合子模型可区分遮荫叶和受光叶光合作用强度的差异;作物生长模型考虑了生长呼吸和维持呼吸,模拟与实测结果对比发现,日总蒸散量实测和模拟的根均方差（RMSD）为0.65mm,平均绝对差（MAPD）为14％;对冠层上部净光合作用率日变化过程而言,实测和模拟结果具有较好的一致性。利用模型模拟了冬小麦全生育争光合作用率和蒸散的演变过程。最后,分析了冬小麦蒸散和水分利用效率对不同最大叶面积指数,大气CO2浓度和叶片N含量的响应。     

Water‐use efficiency in response to climate change: from leaf to ecosystem in a temperate steppe

Water‐use efficiency (WUE) has been recognized as an important characteristic of ecosystem productivity, which links carbon (C) and water cycling. However, little is known about how WUE responds to climate change at different scales. Here, we investigated WUE at leaf, canopy, and ecosystem levels under increased precipitation and warming from 2005 to 2008 in a temperate steppe in Northern China. We measured gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (NEE), evapotranspiration (ET), evaporation (E), canopy transpiration (T_c), as well as leaf photosynthesis (P_max) and transpiration (T_l) of a dominant species to calculate canopy WUE (WUE_c=GEP/T), ecosystem WUE (WUE_gep=GEP/ET or WUE_nee=NEE/ET) and leaf WUE (WUE_l=P_max/T_l). The results showed that increased precipitation stimulated WUE_c, WUE_gep and WUE_nee by 17.1%, 10.2% and 12.6%, respectively, but decreased WUE_l by 27.4%. Climate warming reduced canopy and ecosystem WUE over the 4 years but did not affect leaf level WUE. Across the 4 years and the measured plots, canopy and ecosystem WUE linearly increased, but leaf level WUE of the dominant species linearly decreased with increasing precipitation. The differential responses of canopy/ecosystem WUE and leaf WUE to climate change suggest that caution should be taken when upscaling WUE from leaf to larger scales. Our findings will also facilitate mechanistic understanding of the C–water relationships across different organism levels and in projecting the effects of climate warming and shifting precipitation regimes on productivity in arid and semiarid ecosystems.     

Carbon–water coupling and its relationship with environmental and biological factors in a planted Caragana liouana shrub community in desert steppe,northwest China

宁夏荒漠草原区中间锦鸡儿灌丛群落碳水循环特征及其与生物环境因子的关系 干旱半干旱区的人工植被重建可能会改变陆地生态系统的重要生物物理过程——碳水循环,然而在人类活动背景下,仍然缺乏对这些区域生态系统的碳水耦合机制的认识。本研究基于涡度相关系统测量了宁夏盐池荒漠草原区人工种植的中间锦鸡儿(Caragana  liouana)灌丛群落的CO2和H2O通量,通过分析总初级生产力(Gross Primary Productivity, GPP)、蒸散发(Evapotranspiration, ET)和水分利用效率(Water Use Efficiency, WUE)的变化,探讨了人工灌丛生态系统碳水通量及其耦合关系,并进一步分析驱动其变化的生物环境因子。研究结果表明,气候因子的季节变化导致了生物物理特征和碳水通量呈周期性变化。在生长季,GPP和ET波动较大,而WUE变化相对稳定。GPP、ET和WUE显著受辐射(Global Radiation, Rg)、温度(Ta和Ts)、水汽压亏缺、叶面积指数和植物水分胁迫指数(Plant Water Stress Index, PWSI)的驱动。其中Rg、温度和PWSI是影响WUE的最重要因素。Rg和温度会对WUE产生直接的促进作用,但同时也会间接地提高PWSI进而抑制WUE。PWSI会抑制光合作用和蒸腾作用,当植物水分胁迫超过一个阈值(PWSI > 0.54)时,WUE会下降,这是因为GPP对植物水分胁迫的响应比ET更敏感。这些研究结果表明,在荒漠草原区通过大规模种植灌木可实现固碳的作用,但也必须充分考虑区域的水资源消耗和水分利用效率的状况。     

Chlorophyll fluorescence tracks seasonal variations of photosynthesis from leaf to canopy in a temperate forest

Accurate estimation of terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) remains a challenge despite its importance in the global carbon cycle. Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) has been recently adopted to understand photosynthesis and its response to the environment, particularly with remote sensing data. However, it remains unclear how ChlF and photosynthesis are linked at different spatial scales across the growing season. We examined seasonal relationships between ChlF and photosynthesis at the leaf, canopy, and ecosystem scales and explored how leaf‐level ChlF was linked with canopy‐scale solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) in a temperate deciduous forest at Harvard Forest, Massachusetts, USA. Our results show that ChlF captured the seasonal variations of photosynthesis with significant linear relationships between ChlF and photosynthesis across the growing season over different spatial scales (R² = 0.73, 0.77, and 0.86 at leaf, canopy, and satellite scales, respectively; P < 0.0001). We developed a model to estimate GPP from the tower‐based measurement of SIF and leaf‐level ChlF parameters. The estimation of GPP from this model agreed well with flux tower observations of GPP (R² = 0.68; P < 0.0001), demonstrating the potential of SIF for modeling GPP. At the leaf scale, we found that leaf F_q’/F_m’, the fraction of absorbed photons that are used for photochemistry for a light‐adapted measurement from a pulse amplitude modulation fluorometer, was the best leaf fluorescence parameter to correlate with canopy SIF yield (SIF/APAR, R² = 0.79; P < 0.0001). We also found that canopy SIF and SIF‐derived GPP (GPP_SIF) were strongly correlated to leaf‐level biochemistry and canopy structure, including chlorophyll content (R² = 0.65 for canopy GPP_SIF and chlorophyll content; P < 0.0001), leaf area index (LAI) (R² = 0.35 for canopy GPP_SIF and LAI; P < 0.0001), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (R² = 0.36 for canopy GPP_SIF and NDVI; P < 0.0001). Our results suggest that ChlF can be a powerful tool to track photosynthetic rates at leaf, canopy, and ecosystem scales.     

石羊河流域水分利用效率及其对饱和水汽压差的响应

水分利用效率(WUE)是叶片通过光合作用调节水分生理过程的指标，是联系生态系统碳循环与水循环关系的关键，反映了植被生态系统对立地环境快速调整和资源的变化适应策略。基于卫星遥感和地面观测数据，利用光能利用率模型和蒸散发经验估算模型，模拟石羊河流域2000—2019年植被总初级生产力(GPP)和蒸散发(ET)数据，估算2000—2019年不同植被类型的WUE空间分布特征，研究GPP/ET/WUE与饱和水汽压差(VPD)的相关性，探讨干旱区不同类型植被对水分利用及胁迫的适应策略。结果表明：(1) 2000—2019年石羊河流域植被WUE、GPP和ET的平均值分别为0.80 gC m^-2 mm^-1、256.52 gC/m²和302.52 mm,其三者的空间分布特征表现为“南高北低”,即由流域源头至下游逐渐减少的空间分布。(2)近20年内，流域内WUE、GPP和ET的变化率的平均值分别为0.017 gC m^-2 mm^-1 a^-1,6.99 gC m^-2     

Drought controls over conductance and assimilation of a Mediterranean evergreen ecosystem: scaling from leaf to canopy

Drought control over conductance and assimilation was assessed using eddy flux and meteorological data monitored during four summer periods from 1998 to 2001 above a closed canopy of the Mediterranean evergreen oak tree Quercus ilex. Additional discrete measurements of soil water content and predawn leaf water potential were used to characterize the severity of the drought. Canopy conductance was estimated through the big‐leaf approach of Penman–Monteith by inverting latent heat fluxes. The gross primary production ( GPP ) was estimated by adding ecosystem respiration to net ecosystem exchange. Ecosystem respiration was deduced from night flux when friction velocity ( u _*) was greater than 0.35 m s^?1. Empirical equations were identified that related maximal canopy conductance and daily ecosystem GPP to relative soil water content ( RWC) , the ratio of current soil water content to the field capacity, and to the predawn leaf water potential. Both variables showed a strong decline with soil RWC for values lower than 0.7. The sharpest decline was observed for GPP . The curves reached zero for RWC =0.41 and 0.45 for conductance and GPP , respectively. When the predawn leaf water potential was used as a surrogate for soil water potential, both variables showed a hyperbolic decline with decreasing water potential. These results were compared with already published literature values obtained at leaf level from the same tree species. Scaling up from the leaf to ecosystem highlighted the limitation of two big‐leaf representations: Penman–Monteith and Sellers' Π factor. Neither held completely for comparing leaf and canopy fluxes. Tower measurements integrate fluxes from foliage elements clumped at several levels of organization: branch, tree, and ecosystem. The Q. ilex canopy exhibited non‐random distribution of foliage, emphasizing the need to take into account a clumping index, the factor necessary to apply the Lambert–Beer law to natural forests. Our results showed that drought is an important determinant in water losses and CO₂ fluxes in water‐limited ecosystems. In spite of the limitations inherent to the big‐leaf representation of the canopy, the equations are useful for predicting the influence of environmental factors in Mediterranean woodlands and for interpreting ecosystem exchange measurements.     

基于叶面积指数估算植被总初级生产力

长时间序列的陆地碳通量数据在全球生态环境变化研究中具有重要意义。采用MODIS GPP(Gross Primary Productivity)算法,基于GIMMS LAI3g,MODIS15和Improved-MODIS15三种叶面积指数(LAI),估算了全球2000至2010年的植被总初级生产力(GPP)。该估算的GPP数值经过全球20个通量站点的验证,并结合MODIS17分析了它们在时空变化上的异同。结果表明:(1)4种GPP精度如下:GPP_(MOD17)GPP_(impro_MOD15)GPP_(LAI3g)GPP_(MOD15)。(2)4种GPP整体上具有一致的季节波动,冬季和夏季整体好于春季和秋季。GPP_(LAI3g)的4个季节精度较相近,而GPP_(MOD17)除了春秋季外其它季节都较好。(3)GPP_(LAI3g)在中等GPP值分布区的估值相对较高,其全球总GPP大体为(117±1.5)Pg C/a,GPP_(MOD17)和GPP_(impro_MOD15)相近且都低于该值。(4)GPP_(LAI3g)和GPP_(impro_MOD15)在大约63.29%的陆面上呈显著(P0.05)的正相关关系,它们和GPP_(MOD17)在LAI不确定性小的地区呈显著的正相关关系。GPP_(LAI3g)和GPP_(MOD15)正相关分布面积占比为40.61%。     

Effects of vegetation control on ecosystem water use efficiency within and among four grassland ecosystems in China

Through 2–3-year (2003–2005) continuous eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide and water vapor fluxes, we examined the seasonal, inter-annual, and inter-ecosystem variations in the ecosystem-level water use efficiency (WUE, defined as the ratio of gross primary production, GPP, to evapotranspiration, ET) at four Chinese grassland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and North China. Representing the most prevalent grassland types in China, the four ecosystems are an alpine swamp meadow ecosystem, an alpine shrub-meadow ecosystem, an alpine meadow-steppe ecosystem, and a temperate steppe ecosystem, which illustrate a water availability gradient and thus provide us an opportunity to quantify environmental and biological controls on ecosystem WUE at different spatiotemporal scales. Seasonally, WUE tracked closely with GPP at the four ecosystems, being low at the beginning and the end of the growing seasons and high during the active periods of plant growth. Such consistent correspondence between WUE and GPP suggested that photosynthetic processes were the dominant regulator of the seasonal variations in WUE. Further investigation indicated that the regulations were mainly due to the effect of leaf area index (LAI) on carbon assimilation and on the ratio of transpiration to ET ( T /ET). Besides, except for the swamp meadow, LAI also controlled the year-to-year and site-to-site variations in WUE in the same way, resulting in the years or sites with high productivity being accompanied by high WUE. The general good correlation between LAI and ecosystem WUE indicates that it may be possible to predict grassland ecosystem WUE simply with LAI. Our results also imply that climate change-induced shifts in vegetation structure, and consequently LAI may have a significant impact on the relationship between ecosystem carbon and water cycles in grasslands.     

Photosynthesis, water use efficiency and stable carbon isotope composition are associated with anatomical properties of leaf and xylem in six poplar species

Although fast‐growing Populus species consume a large amount of water for biomass production, there are considerable variations in water use efficiency (WUE) across different poplar species. To compare differences in growth, WUE and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem and to examine the relationship between photosynthesis/WUE and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem, cuttings of six poplar species were grown in a botanical garden. The growth performance, photosynthesis, intrinsic WUE (WUE_i), stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem were analysed in these poplar plants. Significant differences were found in growth, photosynthesis, WUE_i and anatomical properties among the examined species. Populus cathayana was the clone with the fastest growth and the lowest WUE_i/δ¹³C, whereas P. × euramericana had a considerable growth increment and the highest WUE_i/δ¹³C. Among the analysed poplar species, the highest total stomatal density in P. cathayana was correlated with its highest stomatal conductance (g_s) and lowest WUE_i/δ¹³C. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between WUE_i and abaxial stomatal density and stem vessel lumen area. These data suggest that photosynthesis, WUE_i and δ¹³C are associated with leaf and xylem anatomy and there are tradeoffs between growth and WUE_i. It is anticipated that some poplar species, e.g. P. × euramericana, are better candidates for water‐limited regions and others, e.g. P. cathayana, may be better for water‐abundant areas.     

Is productivity of mesic savannas light limited or water limited? Results of a simulation study

A soil–plant–atmosphere model was used to estimate gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) of a tropical savanna in Australia. This paper describes model modifications required to simulate the substantial C4 grass understory together with C3 trees. The model was further improved to include a seasonal distribution of leaf area and foliar nitrogen through 10 canopy layers. Model outputs were compared with a 5‐year eddy covariance dataset. Adding the C4 photosynthesis component improved the model efficiency and root‐mean‐squared error (RMSE) for total ecosystem GPP by better emulating annual peaks and troughs in GPP across wet and dry seasons. The C4 photosynthesis component had minimal impact on modelled values of ET. Outputs of GPP from the modified model agreed well with measured values, explaining between 79% and 90% of the variance and having a low RMSE (0.003–0.281 g C m^?2 day^?1). Approximately, 40% of total annual GPP was contributed by C4 grasses. Total (trees and grasses) wet season GPP was approximately 75–80% of total annual GPP. Light‐use efficiency (LUE) was largest for the wet season and smallest in the dry season and C4 LUE was larger than that of the trees. A sensitivity analysis of GPP revealed that daily GPP was most sensitive to changes in leaf area index (LAI) and foliar nitrogen (N_f) and relatively insensitive to changes in maximum carboxylation rate (V_cmax), maximum electron transport rate (J_max) and minimum leaf water potential (ψ_min). The modified model was also able to represent daily and seasonal patterns in ET, (explaining 68–81% of variance) with a low RMSE (0.038–0.19 mm day^?1). Current values of N_f, LAI and other parameters appear to be colimiting for maximizing GPP. By manipulating LAI and soil moisture content inputs, we show that modelled GPP is limited by light interception rather than water availability at this site.     

Seasonal responses of terrestrial ecosystem water‐use efficiency to climate change

Ecosystem water‐use efficiency (EWUE) is an indicator of carbon–water interactions and is defined as the ratio of carbon assimilation (GPP) to evapotranspiration (ET). Previous research suggests an increasing long‐term trend in annual EWUE over many regions and is largely attributed to the physiological effects of rising CO₂. The seasonal trends in EWUE, however, have not yet been analyzed. In this study, we investigate seasonal EWUE trends and responses to various drivers during 1982–2008. The seasonal cycle for two variants of EWUE, water‐use efficiency (WUE, GPP/ET), and transpiration‐based WUE (WUE_t, the ratio of GPP and transpiration), is analyzed from 0.5° gridded fields from four process‐based models and satellite‐based products, as well as a network of 63 local flux tower observations. WUE derived from flux tower observations shows moderate seasonal variation for most latitude bands, which is in agreement with satellite‐based products. In contrast, the seasonal EWUE trends are not well captured by the same satellite‐based products. Trend analysis, based on process‐model factorial simulations separating effects of climate, CO₂, and nitrogen deposition (NDEP), further suggests that the seasonal EWUE trends are mainly associated with seasonal trends of climate, whereas CO₂ and NDEP do not show obvious seasonal difference in EWUE trends. About 66% grid cells show positive annual WUE trends, mainly over mid‐ and high northern latitudes. In these regions, spring climate change has amplified the effect of CO₂ in increasing WUE by more than 0.005 gC m⁻² mm⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for 41% pixels. Multiple regression analysis further shows that the increase in springtime WUE in the northern hemisphere is the result of GPP increasing faster than ET because of the higher temperature sensitivity of GPP relative to ET. The partitioning of annual EWUE to seasonal components provides new insight into the relative sensitivities of GPP and ET to climate, CO_2, and NDEP.