A general method for parameter estimation in light-response models.
Selecting appropriate initial values is critical for parameter estimation in nonlinear photosynthetic light response models. Failed convergence often occurs due to wrongly selected initial values when using currently available methods, especially the kind of local optimization. There are no reliable methods that can resolve the conundrum of selecting appropriate initial values. After comparing the performance of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm and other three algorithms for global optimization, we develop a general method for parameter estimation in four photosynthetic light response models, based on the use of Differential Evolution (DE). The new method was shown to successfully provide good fits (R(2) > 0.98) and robust parameter estimates for 42 datasets collected for 21 plant species under the same initial values. It suggests that the DE algorithm can efficiently resolve the issue of hyper initial-value sensitivity when using local optimization methods. Therefore, the DE method can be applied to fit the light-response curves of various species without considering the initial values.
Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, N19W8, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
Lei
L
Chen
College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 211 Huimin Road, 611130 Wenjiang, Sichuan, China.|Agricultural and Forestry Bureau in Qingbaijiang District, 159 Huajin Road, Qingbaijiang 610300, Sichuan, China.
Zhong-Bin
ZB
Li
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa.|Mathematical and Physical Biosciences, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.
Cang
C
Hui
Co-Innovation Centre for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, China.
Xiaofei
X
Cheng
Ecological Complexity and Modelling Laboratory, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0124, USA.
Bai-Lian
BL
Li
Co-Innovation Centre for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, China.
Pei-Jian
PJ
Shi
D000465:Algorithms; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism