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Irradiance, temperature and rainfall influence leaf dark respiration in woody plants: evidence from comparisons across 20 sites.

Wright IJ, Reich PB, Atkin OK, Lusk CH, Tjoelker MG, Westoby M

Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.

* Leaf dark respiration (R) is one of the most fundamental physiological processes in plants and is a major component of terrestrial CO(2) input to the atmosphere. Still, it is unclear how predictably species vary in R along broad climate gradients. * Data for R and other key leaf traits were compiled for 208 woody species from 20 sites around the world. We quantified relationships between R and site climate, and climate-related variation in relationships between R and other leaf traits. * Species at higher-irradiance sites had higher mean R at a given leaf N concentration, specific leaf area (SLA), photosynthetic capacity (A(mass)) or leaf lifespan than species at lower-irradiance sites. Species at lower-rainfall sites had higher mean R at a given SLA or A(mass) than species at higher-rainfall sites. On average, estimated field rates of R were higher at warmer sites, while no trend with site temperature was seen when R was adjusted to a standard measurement temperature. * Our findings should prove useful for modelling plant nutrient and carbon budgets, and for modelling vegetation shifts with climate change.

Published 17 January 2006 in New Phytol, 169(2): 309-19.
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