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Convergence of terrestrial plant production across global climate gradients

Author

Listed:
  • Sean T. Michaletz

    (University of Arizona)

  • Dongliang Cheng

    (Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process, Fujian Normal University, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China)

  • Andrew J. Kerkhoff

    (Kenyon College)

  • Brian J. Enquist

    (University of Arizona
    The Santa Fe Institute, USA, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
    The iPlant Collaborative, Thomas W. Keating Bioresearch Building, 1657 East Helen Street, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
    Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, 100 Puppy Smith Street, Aspen, Colorado 81611, USA)

Abstract

Variation in terrestrial net primary production (NPP) with climate is thought to originate from a direct influence of temperature and precipitation on plant metabolism. However, variation in NPP may also result from an indirect influence of climate by means of plant age, stand biomass, growing season length and local adaptation. To identify the relative importance of direct and indirect climate effects, we extend metabolic scaling theory to link hypothesized climate influences with NPP, and assess hypothesized relationships using a global compilation of ecosystem woody plant biomass and production data. Notably, age and biomass explained most of the variation in production whereas temperature and precipitation explained almost none, suggesting that climate indirectly (not directly) influences production. Furthermore, our theory shows that variation in NPP is characterized by a common scaling relationship, suggesting that global change models can incorporate the mechanisms governing this relationship to improve predictions of future ecosystem function.

Suggested Citation

  • Sean T. Michaletz & Dongliang Cheng & Andrew J. Kerkhoff & Brian J. Enquist, 2014. "Convergence of terrestrial plant production across global climate gradients," Nature, Nature, vol. 512(7512), pages 39-43, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:512:y:2014:i:7512:d:10.1038_nature13470
    DOI: 10.1038/nature13470
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    Cited by:

    1. Huicong An & Xiaorong Zhang & Jiaqi Ye, 2024. "Analysis of Vegetation Environmental Stress and the Lag Effect in Countries along the “Six Economic Corridors”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Zhiqiang Wang & Heng Huang & Han Wang & Josep Peñuelas & Jordi Sardans & Ülo Niinemets & Karl J. Niklas & Yan Li & Jiangbo Xie & Ian J. Wright, 2022. "Leaf water content contributes to global leaf trait relationships," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Liangxu Liu & Xueyong Zhao & Xueli Chang & Jie Lian, 2016. "Impact of Precipitation Fluctuation on Desert-Grassland ANPP," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-14, November.
    4. Tetsuo I. Kohyama & Douglas Sheil & I-Fang Sun & Kaoru Niiyama & Eizi Suzuki & Tsutom Hiura & Naoyuki Nishimura & Kazuhiko Hoshizaki & Shu-Hui Wu & Wei-Chun Chao & Zamah S. Nur Hajar & Joeni S. Rahajo, 2023. "Contribution of tree community structure to forest productivity across a thermal gradient in eastern Asia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Zhuo Wu & Erfu Dai & Wenchuan Guan, 2020. "Modeling Subtropical Forest Changes under Climate Change and Close-to-Nature Silviculture: Is There a Tipping Point in an Uncertain Future in Southern China?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-14, August.
    6. Shahab Ali & Shujaul Mulk Khan & Zeeshan Ahmad & Abdullah Abdullah & Naeemullah Kazi & Ismat Nawaz & Khalid F. Almutairi & Graciela Dolores Avila-Quezada & Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah, 2023. "Relative Humidity, Soil Phosphorus, and Stand Structure Diversity Determine Aboveground Biomass along the Elevation Gradient in Various Forest Ecosystems of Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-16, May.

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