Photosynthesis Limits Carbon Sequestering in the Taiga Zone of Northeastern Europe

We analyzed the time-course of carbon accumulation in the stem wood of the basic forest-forming tree species (pine, spruce, and birch) of the taiga subzones in northeastern Europe over many years. The dynamics of annual carbon accumulation was appraised from comparing the carbon content in trees of various ages. The primary photosynthetic productivity and the coefficient of proportionality between respiratory decarboxylation and the mass of the stem wood were calculated. A noticeable decrease in the net primary photosynthetic productivity was detected with a movement from South to North (from 62 to 64° N). However, the time for reaching the climax stage did not depend on the latitude and corresponding climatic parameters. Therefore, only the heterotrophic part of tree biomass determines annual carbon losses in a forest tree population. The conclusion is that the primary photosynthetic productivity, which limits the production process, determines the dependence of the volume of the northern-taiga carbon reservoir on the latitude and climatic parameters.     

Structural and Functional Changes in the Leaves of Plants from Steppe Communities as Affected by Aridization of the Eurasian Climate

Morphological and physiological characteristics of leaves from plant species collected in steppe communities in the various climatic zones in Eurasia were compared. The changes in leaf structure correlated with the major climatic factors. The mean thickness of leaves increased with increasing mean temperature of July and decreasing mean precipitation, which corresponded to aridity increase. The increased leaf thickness correlated with an increase in the specific leaf weight. The content of chlorophylls (a + b) in leaves greatly varied with plant habitats, whereas the chlorophyll a/b ratio remained unchanged. The chlorophyll content in leaf tissues had a general tendency to decrease with increasing leaf thickness. The leaf chlorophyll content positively correlated (R ² = 0.77) with the proportion of chlorenchyma in leaf tissues. It is concluded that steppe plants adapt to climate aridization at the structural level by increasing the proportion of protective heterotrophic components of the leaf without changing the functional activity of photosynthetic tissues.     

Estimating the Net Primary Productivity in China Using Meteorological Satellite Data

Net primary productivity (NPP) is one of the cruces for global changes studies, utilizing remote sensing data from meteorological satellite is an objective way to estimate NPP. Usually, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is derived from channel 1 and channel 2 of NOAA/AVHRR to monitor vegetation. Using the processed annual NDVIs, the authors could estimate the NPP values from an experimental model. The result showed that NPP derived from NDVIs was highly compatible to that estimated in the conventional way.     

秦岭山地植被净初级生产力及对气候变化的响应

基于1999~2009年的NDVI数据和气象数据,利用CASA模型对秦岭山地植被净初级生产力（Net primary productivity,NPP）进行模拟估算,并分析了秦岭NPP的时空变化特征及其对气候变化的响应。结果表明：1999~2009年11年间秦岭山地的平均年NPP为542.24 gC·m^-2·a^-1;研究期内秦岭NPP呈显著增长趋势（P<0.01）,2008年最高（718.77 gC·m^-2·a^-1）,2001年最低（471.78 gC·m^-2·a^-1）;四季对全年NPP的贡献率大小依次为夏季（49.90%）>春季（26.16%）>秋季（18.87%）>冬季（5.07%）;月NPP与温度和降水都显著相关,但与温度的相关性更高,月水平上温度对NPP的影响比降水大;生长季期间NPP与温度和降水的相关性在空间分布上都以正相关为主。     

近51年来祁连山植被净初级生产力对气候变化的响应

本研究以分辨率为0.1°×0.1°的植被、土壤和气象数据为驱动,利用大气-植被相互作用模型(AVIM2)模拟了祁连山地区1958~2008年植被净初级生产力(NPP),并对近51年来祁连山地区植被NPP对气候变化的响应进行了分析。结果表明:近51年来祁连山植被(常绿针叶林、落叶针叶林、草地、灌木、农田)在气温升高和降水量增加的影响下,NPP总量呈增加趋势,且增加速率依次为:农田>常绿针叶林>落叶针叶林>草地>灌木。植被NPP的变化与气温和降水量的变化均呈正相关关系,且温度变化对植被NPP的影响大于降水,即温度变化是影响祁连山地区植被NPP变化的主导因素。从区域平均来看,气温年平均上升速率为0.043℃·a-1,降水量的平均增加速率为1.355mm·a-1,在气温和降水量的共同作用下,1958~2008年祁连山地区植被NPP总量呈增加趋势,平均增加速率为0.718g·m-2·a-1。     

Modelling the NET Primary Productivity of the Natural Potential Vegetation in China

The relationship between net primary productivity (NPP) of natural potential vegetation in China and its climate control has been studied. First, site water balance indices are calculated by means of climate station document interpolation. NPP field document is strongly correlated with actual evapotranspiration in growth period, annual actual evapotranspiration, annual potential evapotranspiration and water deficiency indices. Then according to the mechanism of NPP accumulation, a WBINPP model is developed basing on a collection of NPP field document all over the country and site water balance indices interaction: NPP = 2.55 GAE·e - 4.20922-1. 9665. Al. Comparing with other NPP models, such as Miami, Thomthwaite Memorial and Chikugo, WBINPP model is more rational and strongly fit to field doccment, the correlation coefficient is 0. 845. According to WBINPP model, a spatial pattern analysis for NPP in China is conducted by means of a GIS software, EIS, and the result shows NPP is declined from Southeastern China to Northwestern China. NPP of the greatest value is above 22 t·hm-2. a-1 in the region located in Hainan and Taiwan Province; while with different values of 12 ~ 16, 8 ~ 12, 4 - 8 t·hm-2·a-1 in the region of middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River, the Northern China plain and the Northeastern Region in China, respectively. In the Northern steppe zone NPP is about 2 t·hm- 2·a- 1 and in the dry desert zone is lower than 2 t·hm- 2·a-1.     

An Incubator for the Simulation of a Fluctuating Light Climate in Studies of Planktonic Primary Productivity

A laboratory system for the quantification of phytoplankton photosynthesis under fluctuating light climate conditions is described. It consists of 2 temperature-controlled incubators with a variable light supply, an algal batch culture in incubation bottles with appropriate stirrers and a set of oxygen electrodes to monitor algal photosynthesis. By the rotation of special grey filters between the incubator and the light source, a regular up and down movement in the water column is simulated in up to 7 parallel bottles. Different ratios of euphotic depth to mixing depth and different velocities can be applied. Simultaneously, 8 bottles can be incubated under constant light. The system is demonstrated in experiments with Chlamydomonas sp. Further possibilities of application are proposed.     

Activity of the Respiration Electron Transport System (ETS) Different Size Particles as a Measure of Carbon Losses from Primary Producers

In situ ETS-activity of size-fractionated natural phytoplankton communities was studied to determine the relative rate of respiration of different size fractions. Different lakes of varying trophic levels were examined. This study suggested that <35 μm organisms are the major contributes of respiratory-enzyme activity to the total community respiration. The results of this study indicate that half or more of the losses of primary productivity in different particle sizes are from respiratory activity. The data collected during this research on the photosynthetic rates and P/R ratio of different size particles give better information than primary productivity alone on community metabolic rates for evaluating productivity measurements.     

Primary Productivity and Water Balance of Grassland Vegetation on Three Soils in a Continuous CO2 Gradient: Initial Results from the Lysimeter CO2 Gradient Experiment

Field studies of atmospheric CO₂ effects on ecosystems usually include few levels of CO₂ and a single soil type, making it difficult to ascertain the shape of responses to increasing CO₂ or to generalize across soil types. The Lysimeter CO₂ Gradient (LYCOG) chambers were constructed to maintain a linear gradient of atmospheric CO₂ (~250 to 500 μl l⁻¹) on grassland vegetation established on intact soil monoliths from three soil series. The chambers maintained a linear daytime CO₂ gradient from 263 μl l⁻¹ at the subambient end of the gradient to 502 μl l⁻¹ at the superambient end, as well as a linear nighttime CO₂ gradient. Temperature variation within the chambers affected aboveground biomass and evapotranspiration, but the effects of temperature were small compared to the expected effects of CO₂. Aboveground biomass on Austin soils was 40% less than on Bastrop and Houston soils. Biomass differences between soils resulted from variation in biomass of Sorghastrum nutans, Bouteloua curtipendula, Schizachyrium scoparium (C₄ grasses), and Solidago canadensis (C₃ forb), suggesting the CO₂ sensitivity of these species may differ among soils. Evapotranspiration did not differ among the soils, but the CO₂ sensitivity of leaf-level photosynthesis and water use efficiency in S. canadensis was greater on Houston and Bastrop than on Austin soils, whereas the CO₂ sensitivity of soil CO₂ efflux was greater on Bastrop soils than on Austin or Houston soils. The effects of soil type on CO₂ sensitivity may be smaller for some processes that are tightly coupled to microclimate. LYCOG is useful for discerning the effects of soil type on the CO₂ sensitivity of ecosystem function in grasslands. Author Contributions: PF conceived study, analyzed data, and wrote the paper. AK, AP analyzed data. DH, VJ, RJ, HJ, and WP conceived study, and conducted research.     

Primary production and carbon allocation in relation to nutrient supply in a tropical experimental forest

Nutrient supply commonly limits aboveground plant productivity in forests, but the effects of an altered nutrient supply on gross primary production (GPP) and patterns of carbon (C) allocation remain poorly characterized. Increased nutrient supply may lead to a higher aboveground net primary production (ANPP), but a lower total belowground carbon allocation (TBCA), with little change in either aboveground plant respiration (APR) or GPP. Alternatively, increases in nutrient supply may increase GPP, with the quantity of GPP allocated aboveground increasing more steeply than the quantity of GPP allocated belowground. To examine the effects of an elevated nutrient supply on the C allocation patterns in forests, we determined whole‐ecosystem C budgets in unfertilized plots of Eucalyptus saligna and in adjacent plots receiving regular additions of 65 kg N ha^?1, 31 kg P ha^?1, 46 kg K ha^?1, and macro‐ and micronutrients. We measured the absolute flux of C allocated to the components of GPP (ANPP, TBCA and APR), as well as the fraction of GPP allocated to these components. Fertilization dramatically increased GPP. Averaged over 3 years, GPP in the fertilized plots was 34% higher than that in the unfertilized controls (3.95 vs. 2.95 kg C m^?2 yr^?1). Fertilization‐related increases in GPP were allocated entirely aboveground – ANPP was 85% higher and APR was 57% higher in the fertilized than in the control plots, while TBCA did not differ significantly between treatments. Carbon use efficiency (NPP/GPP) was slightly higher in the fertilized (0.53) compared with the control plots (0.51). Overall, fertilization increased ANPP and APR, and these increases were related to a greater GPP and an increase in the fraction of GPP allocated aboveground.     

Effects of Climate Change and Shifts in Forest Composition on Forest Net Primary Production

Forests are dynamic in both structure and species composition, and these dynamics are strongly Influenced by climate.However, the net effects of future tree species composition on net primary production (NPP) are not well understood. The objective of this work was to model the potential range shifts of tree species (DISTRIB Model) and predict their impacts on NPP (PnET-Ⅱ Model) that will be associated with alterations in species composition. We selected four 200 × 200 km areas In Wisconsin, Maine, Arkansas, and the Ohio-West Virginia area, representing focal areas of potential species range shifts. PnET-Ⅱ model simulations were carried out assuming that all forests achieved steady state, of which the species compositions were predicted by DISTRIB model with no migration limitation. The total NPP under the current climate ranged from 552 to 908 g C/m2 per year. The effects of potential species redistributions on NPP were moderate (-12% to 8%) compared with the influence of future climatic changes (-60% to 25%). The direction and magnitude of climate change effects on NPP were largely dependent on the degree of warming and water balance. Thus, the magnitude of future climate change can affect the feedback system between the atmosphere and biosphere.     

辽东栎林净初级生产力对气候变化情景响应的模拟与分析

利用生态系统模型BIOME-BGC模拟北京东灵山地区辽东栎(Suercus liaotungensis Koidz)林生态系统净初级生产力(net primary productivity,NPP)对全球气候变化潜在响应。首先,BIOME-BGC模型模拟的土壤含水量和NPP与该地区实际测量结果、其他模型模拟研究进行比较分析,结果显示BIOME-BGC能较好的模拟辽东栎林生态系统净生产力。然后,利用BIOME-BGC模拟辽东栎林生态系统NPP对不同气候变化的响应。结果表明:(1)NPP对温度变化不敏感,而对降水和CO_2变化极为敏感;(2)温度、降水和CO_2对NPP的影响并没有显示出交互作用。     

辽东栎林净初级生产力对气候变化情景响应的模拟与分析

An ecosystem process model, BIOME-BGC, was used to explore the sensitivity of net primary productivity (NPP) of an oak (Quercus liaotungensis Koidz) forest ecosystem in Beijing area to global climate changes caused by increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. Firstly we tested the model, and validated the modeled outputs using observational data; the outputs of BIOME-BGC model were consistent with observed soil water content and annual NPP. Secondly the potential impacts of climate change on the oak forest ecosystem were predicted with BIOME-BGC model. We found that the simulated NPP was much more sensitive to a 20% precipitation increase or a doubling of atmospheric CO₂ from 355 to 710 祄ol/mol than to a 2 ℃ temperature increase. Our results also indicated that the effects of elevated CO₂ and climate change on the response of NPP were not interactive.     

Primary Productivity of Phytoplankton,Environmental Covariates and Fish Growth in West Bengal Ponds under a Polyculture System

Measurements of primary production by phytoplankton in four fish ponds over a period of one year revealed a distinct spatial variation in rate. The ponds were used for polyculture, monoculture, or a traditional system of fish culture. The rates of gross photosynthesis were highly correlated with temperature, free CO₂, oxygen, inorganic nitrogen (NH₄⁺, NO₂⁻, and NO₃⁻) and PO₄-P. It was shown by step-wise multiple regression analysis that in the polyculture pond with a predominantly autotrophic metabolism, gross photosynthesis was the most significant factor correlated with fish growth. In another polyculture system in which the metabolism was mainly hetero-trophic, the influence of the photosynthesis rate was slight.     

我国不同季节陆地植被NPP对气候变化的响应

阐明不同季节陆地植被净第一性生产力(NPP)对全球变化的响应将有助于理解陆地生态系统和气候系统之间的相互作用以及NPP变化机制.本文使用1982～1999年间的AVHRR/NDVI、气温、降水以及太阳辐射等资料,结合植被分布图和土壤质地图,利用生态过程模型,研究不同季节我国陆地植被NPP的年际变化及其地理分异.结果表明,在1982～1999年的18年间,4个季节的NPP都呈显著增加趋势.其中,春季是NPP增加速率最快的季节,夏季是NPP增加量最大的季节.不同植被类型对全球变化的响应有很大差异.常绿阔叶林、常绿针叶林和落叶针叶林NPP的增加主要由生长季节的提前所致,而落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林、矮林灌丛、温带草原及草甸、稀树草原、高寒植被、荒漠以及人工植被NPP的增加主要来自生长季生长加速的贡献.从区域分布看,在四季中春季NPP增加量最大的地区主要集中在东部季风区域;夏季NPP增加量最大的地区包括西北干旱区域和青藏高原的大部分地区、小兴安岭-长白山区、三江平原、松辽平原、四川盆地、雷州半岛、长江中下游部分地区以及江南山地东部;而秋季植被NPP增加量最大的地区主要有云南高原-西藏东部和呼伦湖的周围等地区.不同植被和地理区域NPP的这些响应方式与区域气候特征及其变化趋势有关.     

Effect of altitude on the primary products of photosynthesis and the associated enzymes in barley and wheat

There is little information available on the primary products of photosynthesis and the change in the activity of the associated enzymes with altitude. We studied the same in varieties of barley and wheat grown at 1300 (low altitude, LA) and 4200 m (high altitude, HA) elevations above mean sea level in the western Himalayas. Plants at both the locations had similar photosynthetic rates, leaf water potential and the chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. The short-term radio-labelling experiments in leaves showed appearance of ¹⁴CO₂ in phosphoglyceric acid and sugar phosphates in plants at both the LA and HA, suggesting a major role of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) in CO₂ fixation in the plants at two altitudes, whereas the appearance of labelled carbon in aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) at HA suggested a role of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase) in photosynthesis metabolism. Plants at HA had significantly higher activities of PEPCase, carboxylase and oxygenase activity of Rubisco, aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT), and glutamine synthetase (GS). However, the activities of malate dehydrogenase, NAD-malic enzyme and citrate synthase were similar at the two locations. Such an altered metabolism at HA suggested that PEPCase probably captured CO₂ directly from the atmosphere and/or that generated metabolically e.g. from photorespiration at HA. Higher oxygenase activity at HA suggests high photorespiratory activity. OAA thus produced could be additionally channelised for Asp synthesis using Glu as a source of ammonia. Higher GS activity ensures higher assimilation rate of NH₃ and the synthesis of Glu through GS-GOGAT (glutamine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) pathway, also as supported by the appearance of radiolabel in Glu at HA. Enhanced PEPCase activity coupled with higher activities of AspAT and GS suggests a role in conserving C and N in the HA environment.     

我国不同季节陆地植被NPP对气候变化的响应

阐明不同季节陆地植被净第一性生产力（NPP）对全球变化的响应将有助于理解陆地生态系统和气候系统之间的相互作用以及NPP变化机制。本文使用1982－1999年间的AVHRR／NDVI、气温、降水以及太阳辐射等资料,结合植被分布图和土壤质地图,利用生态过程模型,研究不同季节我国陆地植被NPP的年际变化及其地理分异。结果表明,在1982－1999年的18年间,4个季节的NPP都呈显著增加趋势。其中,春季是NPP增加速率最快的季节,夏季是NPP增加量最大的季节,不同植被类型对全球变化的响应有很大差异。常绿阔叶林,常绿针叶林和落叶针叶林NPP的增加主要由生长季节的提前所致。而落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林、矮林灌丛,温带草原及草甸,稀树草原、高寒植被,荒漠以及人工植被NPP的增加主要来自生长季生长加速的贡献。从区域分布看,在四季中春季NPP增加量最大的地区主要集中在东部季风区域;夏季NPP增量最大的地区包括西北干旱区域和青藏高原的大部分地区,小兴安岭－长白山区,三江平原,松辽平原,四川盆地,雷州半岛,长江中下游部分地区以及江南山地东部;而秋季植被NPP增加量最大的地区主要有云南高原－西藏东部和呼伦湖的周围等地区。不同植被和地理区域NPP的这些响应方式与区域气候特征及其变化趋势有关。     

Partitioning of river metabolism identifies phytoplankton as a major contributor in the regulated Murray River (Australia)

1. River metabolism was measured over an annual cycle at three sites distributed along a 1000 km length of the lowland Murray River, Australia. 2. Whole system metabolism was measured using water column changes in dissolved oxygen concentrations while planktonic and benthic metabolism were partitioned using light‐dark bottles and benthic chambers. 3. Annual gross primary production (GPP) ranged from 775 to 1126 g O₂ m^?2 year^?1 which in comparison with rivers of similar physical characteristics is moderately productive. 4. Community respiration (CR) ranged from 872 to 1284 g O₂ m^?2 year^?1 so that annual net ecosystem production (NEP) was near zero, suggesting photosynthesis and respiration were balanced and that allochthonous organic carbon played a minor role in fuelling metabolism. 5. Planktonic rates of gross photosynthesis and respiration were similar to those of the total channel, indicating that plankton were responsible for much of the observed metabolism. 6. Respiration rates correlated with phytoplankton standing crop (estimated as the sum of GPP plus the chlorophyll concentration in carbon units), yielding a specific respiration rate of ?1.1 g O₂ g C^?1 day^?1. The respiration rate was equivalent to 19% of the maximum rate of phytoplankton photosynthesis, which is typical of diatoms. 7. The daily GPP per unit phytoplankton biomass correlated with the mean irradiance of the water column giving a constant carbon specific photon fixation rate of 0.35 gO₂ g Chl a^?1 day^?1 per μmole photons m^?2 s^?1 (ca. 0.08 per mole photons m^?2 on a carbon basis) indicating that light availability determined daily primary production. 8. Annual phytoplankton net production (NP) estimates at two sites indicated 25 and 36 g C m^?2 year^?1 were available to support riverine food webs, equivalent to 6% and 11% of annual GPP. 9. Metabolised organic carbon was predominantly derived from phytoplankton and was fully utilised, suggesting that food‐web production was restricted by the energy supply.     

Forest Structure and Primary Productivity in a Bornean Heath Forest

Aboveground forest structure, biomass, and primary productivity in a tropical heath forest in Central Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) were examined using data from 1-ha plots and stand-level allometric equations developed from harvested tree samples. The study site experienced a severe drought in 1997–1998 associated with the El Niño Southern Oscillation event. The drought effect on heath forest productivity was also assessed by evaluating changes in wood mass increment rates. Allometric relationships suggested that heath forest trees had leaves with smaller specific leaf area (SLA), and large heath forest trees allocate more to leaf mass compared to mixed dipterocarp forest trees. Aboveground biomass (for trees ≥ 4.8 cm DBH) in two 1-ha plots, P1 and P4, totaled 244.8 and 232.0 Mg/ha. Aboveground wood mass increment rate was –0.1 and 4.7 Mg/ha/yr in P1 and P4 during the drought period (from February to August 1998), while it quickly recovered to 8.1 and 8.5 Mg/ha/yr during the post-drought period (from August 1998 to August 1999 for P1 and from August 1998 to November 1999 for P4). This suggests a severe impact of the drought on heath forest productivity. Leaf characteristics of heath forest such as small SLA and long-lived leaves probably play a significant role in effective assimilation and maintenance of heath forest productivity under stressful conditions.     

Assessing the Response of Seasonal Variation of Net Primary Productivity to Climate Using Remote Sensing Data and Geographic Information System Techniques in Xinjiang

Net pdmary productivity (NPP) is a key component of energy and matter transformation in the terrestrial ecosystem, and the responses of NPP to global change locally and regionally have been one of the most important aspects in climate-vegetation relationship studies. In order to isolate causal climatic factors, it is very important to assess the response of seasonal variation of NPP to climate. In this paper, NPP in Xinjiang was estimated by NOAA/AVHRR Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The impact of climatic factors (air temperature, precipitation and sunshine percentage) on seasonal variations of NPP was studied by time lag and serial correlation ageing analysis. The results showed that the NPP for different land cover types have a similar correlation with any one of the three climatic factors, and precipitation is the major climatic factor influencing the seasonal variation of NPP in Xinjiang. It was found that the positive correlation at 0 lag appeared between NPP and precipitation and the serial correlation ageing was 0 d in most areas of Xinjiang, which indicated that the response of NPP to precipitation was immediate. However, NPP of different land cover types showed significant positive correlation at 2 month lag with air temperature, and the impact of which could persist 1 month as a whole. No correlation was found between NPP and sunshine percentage.