Co-limitation of photosynthetic capacity by nitrogen and phosphorus in West Africa woodlands.
Photosynthetic leaf traits were determined for savanna and forest ecosystems in West Africa, spanning a large range in precipitation. Standardized major axis fits revealed important differences between our data and reported global relationships. Especially for sites in the drier areas, plants showed higher photosynthetic rates for a given N or P when compared with relationships from the global data set. The best multiple regression for the pooled data set estimated V(cmax) and J(max) from N(DW) and S. However, the best regression for different vegetation types varied, suggesting that the scaling of photosynthesis with leaf traits changed with vegetation types. A new model is presented representing independent constraints by N and P on photosynthesis, which can be evaluated with or without interactions with S. It assumes that limitation of photosynthesis will result from the least abundant nutrient, thereby being less sensitive to the allocation of the non-limiting nutrient to non-photosynthetic pools. The model predicts an optimum proportionality for N and P, which is distinct for V(cmax) and J(max) and inversely proportional to S. Initial tests showed the model to predict V(cmax) and J(max) successfully for other tropical forests characterized by a range of different foliar N and P concentrations.
Domingues
Tomas Ferreira
TF
School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, Scotland, UK. tdomingu@staffmail.ed.ac.uk
Meir
Patrick
P
Feldpausch
Ted R
TR
Saiz
Gustavo
G
Veenendaal
Elmar M
EM
Schrodt
Franziska
F
Bird
Michael
M
Djagbletey
Gloria
G
Hien
Fidele
F
Compaore
Halidou
H
Diallo
Adama
A
Grace
John
J
Lloyd
Jon
J
D000354:Africa, Western; D018533:Biomass; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology*
D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen