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Effects of climate warming on photosynthesis in boreal tree species depend on soil moisture

Author

Listed:
  • Peter B. Reich

    (University of Minnesota
    Western Sydney University)

  • Kerrie M. Sendall

    (University of Minnesota
    Georgia Southern University)

  • Artur Stefanski

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Roy L. Rich

    (University of Minnesota
    Smithsonian Environmental Research Center)

  • Sarah E. Hobbie

    (Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota)

  • Rebecca A. Montgomery

    (University of Minnesota)

Abstract

Climate warming will influence photosynthesis via thermal effects and by altering soil moisture1–11. Both effects may be important for the vast areas of global forests that fluctuate between periods when cool temperatures limit photosynthesis and periods when soil moisture may be limiting to carbon gain4–6,9–11. Here we show that the effects of climate warming flip from positive to negative as southern boreal forests transition from rainy to modestly dry periods during the growing season. In a three-year open-air warming experiment with juveniles of 11 temperate and boreal tree species, an increase of 3.4 °C in temperature increased light-saturated net photosynthesis and leaf diffusive conductance on average on the one-third of days with the wettest soils. In all 11 species, leaf diffusive conductance and, as a result, light-saturated net photosynthesis decreased during dry spells, and did so more sharply in warmed plants than in plants at ambient temperatures. Consequently, across the 11 species, warming reduced light-saturated net photosynthesis on the two-thirds of days with driest soils. Thus, low soil moisture may reduce, or even reverse, the potential benefits of climate warming on photosynthesis in mesic, seasonally cold environments, both during drought and in regularly occurring, modestly dry periods during the growing season.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter B. Reich & Kerrie M. Sendall & Artur Stefanski & Roy L. Rich & Sarah E. Hobbie & Rebecca A. Montgomery, 2018. "Effects of climate warming on photosynthesis in boreal tree species depend on soil moisture," Nature, Nature, vol. 562(7726), pages 263-267, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:562:y:2018:i:7726:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0582-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0582-4
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hasan, Md. Mahedi & Islam, Tamanna & Ratan, Zubair Ahmed & Shaikh, M. Nasiruzzaman & Karim, Mohammad Rezaul & Rahman, Mohammad Mominur & Alharbi, Hamad F. & Uddin, Jamal & Aziz, Md. Abdul & Ahammad, A, 2021. "Ni and Co oxide water oxidation electrocatalysts: Effect of thermal treatment on catalytic activity and surface morphology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    2. Ariane Mirabel & Martin P. Girardin & Juha Metsaranta & Danielle Way & Peter B. Reich, 2023. "Increasing atmospheric dryness reduces boreal forest tree growth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Xinli Chen & Peter B. Reich & Anthony R. Taylor & Zhengfeng An & Scott X. Chang, 2024. "Resource availability enhances positive tree functional diversity effects on carbon and nitrogen accrual in natural forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Mirindi Eric Dusenge & Jeffrey M. Warren & Peter B. Reich & Eric J. Ward & Bridget K. Murphy & Artur Stefanski & Raimundo Bermudez & Marisol Cruz & David A. McLennan & Anthony W. King & Rebecca A. Mon, 2023. "Boreal conifers maintain carbon uptake with warming despite failure to track optimal temperatures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Zhang, Zhongdian & Huang, Mingbin, 2021. "Effect of root-zone vertical soil moisture heterogeneity on water transport safety in soil-plant-atmosphere continuum in Robinia pseudoacacia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    6. Wang, Chunyu & Li, Sien & Wu, Mousong & Zhang, Wenxin & Guo, Zhenyu & Huang, Siyu & Yang, Danni, 2023. "Co-regulation of temperature and moisture in the irrigated agricultural ecosystem productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    7. Bakshi, Baishali & Polasky, Stephen & Frelich, Lee E., 2024. "Using structural equation models (SEM) to link climate change, forest composition, deer, and outdoor recreation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 493(C).
    8. Zhang, Xiaoyuan & Wang, Ke & Duan, Cuihua & Li, Gaoliang & Zhen, Qing & Zheng, Jiyong, 2023. "Evaporation effect of infiltration hole and its comparison with mulching," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).

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