A new technique for estimating rates of carboxylation and electron transport in leaves of C3 plants for use in dynamic global vegetation models

The possible responses of the terrestrial biosphere to future CO2 increases and associated climatic change are being investigated using dynamic global vegetation models (DG VMs) which include the Farquhar et al. (1980) biochemical model of leaf assimilation as the primary means of carbon capture. This model requires representative values of the maximum rates of Rubisco activity, Vmax, and electron transport, Jmax, for different vegetation types when applied at the global scale. Here, we describe an approach for calculating these values based on measurements of the maximum rate of leaf photosynthesis (Amax) 13C discrimination. The approach is tested and validated by comparison with measurements of Rubisco activity assayed directly on wild-type and transgenic Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) plants with altered Rubisco activity grown under ambient and elevated CO2 mole fractions with high and low N-supply. Vmax and Jmax values are reported for 18 different vegetation types with global coverage. Both variables were linearly related reinforcing the idea of optimal allocation of resources to photosynthesis (light harvesting vs. Rubisco) at the global scale. The reported figures should be of value to the further development of vegetation and ecosystem models employing mechanistic DGVMs.

[1]  A. Friend.  PGEN: an integrated model of leaf photosynthesis, transpiration, and conductance , 1995 .

[2]  E. Nevo,et al.  Chromosome 4 controls potential water use efficiency (δ13C) in barley , 1994 .

[3]  R. Waring,et al.  Variation in foliar δ13C values within the crowns of Pinus radiata trees , 1994 .

[4]  P. Warnant,et al.  CARAIB - A global model of terrestrial biological productivity , 1994 .

[5]  E. Schulze,et al.  Relationships among Maximum Stomatal Conductance, Ecosystem Surface Conductance, Carbon Assimilation Rate, and Plant Nitrogen Nutrition: A Global Ecology Scaling Exercise , 1994 .

[6]  M. Badger,et al.  Effects of Ambient CO2 Concentration on Growth and Nitrogen Use in Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Plants Transformed with an Antisense Gene to the Small Subunit of Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase , 1993, Plant physiology.

[7]  Stan D. Wullschleger,et al.  Biochemical Limitations to Carbon Assimilation in C3 Plants—A Retrospective Analysis of the A/Ci Curves from 109 Species , 1993 .

[8]  Ross E. McMurtrie,et al.  Mathematical models of the photosynthetic response of tree stands to rising CO2 concentrations and temperatures , 1993 .

[9]  Thomas M. Smith,et al.  Sensitivity of terrestrial carbon storage to CO2-induced climate change: Comparison of four scenarios based on general circulation models , 1992 .

[10]  James F. Reynolds,et al.  Modelling photosynthesis of cotton grown in elevated CO2 , 1992 .

[11]  W. Cramer,et al.  A global biome model based on plant physiology and dominance, soil properties and climate , 1992 .

[12]  W. Thompson,et al.  Photosynthetic Response to Light and Nutrients in Sun-Tolerant and Shade-Tolerant Rainforest Trees. II. Leaf Gas Exchange and Component Processes of Photosynthesis , 1992 .

[13]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Modification of the response of photosynthetic productivity to rising temperature by atmospheric CO2 concentrations: Has its importance been underestimated? , 1991 .

[14]  K. Prentice.  Bioclimatic distribution of vegetation for general circulation model studies , 1990 .

[15]  J. Ehleringer,et al.  Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Photosynthesis , 1989 .

[16]  S. Rodermel,et al.  Nuclear-organelle interactions: Nuclear antisense gene inhibits ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase enzyme levels in transformed tobacco plants , 1988, Cell.

[17]  A. Henderson‐sellers,et al.  A global archive of land cover and soils data for use in general circulation climate models , 1985 .

[18]  Herman H. Shugart,et al.  Climatic change and the broad-scale distribution of terrestrial ecosystem complexes , 1985 .

[19]  A. E. Hall,et al.  Stomatal Responses, Water Loss and CO2 Assimilation Rates of Plants in Contrasting Environments , 1982 .