Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests
Nutrient limitation is a key source of uncertainty in predicting terrestrial carbon (C) uptake. Models have begun to include nitrogen (N) dynamics; however, phosphorus (P), which can also limit or colimit net primary production in many ecosystems, is currently absent in most models. To meet this cha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00043/full |
| _version_ | 1818109304178212864 |
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| author | Kara Allen Kara Allen Joshua B. Fisher Joshua B. Fisher Richard P. Phillips Jennifer S. Powers Jennifer S. Powers Edward R. Brzostek |
| author_facet | Kara Allen Kara Allen Joshua B. Fisher Joshua B. Fisher Richard P. Phillips Jennifer S. Powers Jennifer S. Powers Edward R. Brzostek |
| author_sort | Kara Allen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nutrient limitation is a key source of uncertainty in predicting terrestrial carbon (C) uptake. Models have begun to include nitrogen (N) dynamics; however, phosphorus (P), which can also limit or colimit net primary production in many ecosystems, is currently absent in most models. To meet this challenge, we integrated P dynamics into a cutting-edge plant nutrient uptake model (Fixation and Uptake of Nitrogen: FUN 2.0) that mechanistically tracks the C cost of N uptake from soil based on the cost of allocating C to leaf resorption and root/root-microbial uptake and the availability of N in soil. We incorporated the direct C cost of P uptake, as well as an N cost of synthesizing phosphatase enzymes to extract P from soil, into a new model formulation (FUN 3.0). We confronted and validated FUN 3.0 against empirical estimates of canopy, root, and soil P pools from 45 temperate forest plots in Indiana, USA, and 18 tropical dry forest plots located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, that vary in P availability and distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal associated trees. FUN 3.0 was able to accurately predict N and P retranslocation across the temperate and tropical forest sites (slopes of 0.95 and 0.92 for P and N retranslocation, respectively). Carbon costs for acquiring P were three times higher in tropical forest sites compared to temperate forest sites, driving overall higher C costs in tropical sites. In addition, the N costs for acquiring P in tropical forest sites lead to a substantial increase in N fixation to support phosphatase enzyme production. Sensitivity analyses showed that tropical sites appeared to be severely P limited, while the temperate sites showed evidence for co-limitation by N and P. Collectively, FUN 3.0 provides a novel framework for predicting coupled N and P limitation that earth system models can leverage to enhance predictions of ecosystem response to global change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:29:07Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-893X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:29:07Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
| spelling | doaj.art-60fcb727cf184f7a8cedd56228dca4ae2022-12-22T01:23:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Forests and Global Change2624-893X2020-05-01310.3389/ffgc.2020.00043522638Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical ForestsKara Allen0Kara Allen1Joshua B. Fisher2Joshua B. Fisher3Richard P. Phillips4Jennifer S. Powers5Jennifer S. Powers6Edward R. Brzostek7Manaaki Whenua—Landcare Research, Lincoln, New ZealandBiology Department, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United StatesJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United StatesJoint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United StatesDepartment of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United StatesDepartment of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United StatesBiology Department, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United StatesNutrient limitation is a key source of uncertainty in predicting terrestrial carbon (C) uptake. Models have begun to include nitrogen (N) dynamics; however, phosphorus (P), which can also limit or colimit net primary production in many ecosystems, is currently absent in most models. To meet this challenge, we integrated P dynamics into a cutting-edge plant nutrient uptake model (Fixation and Uptake of Nitrogen: FUN 2.0) that mechanistically tracks the C cost of N uptake from soil based on the cost of allocating C to leaf resorption and root/root-microbial uptake and the availability of N in soil. We incorporated the direct C cost of P uptake, as well as an N cost of synthesizing phosphatase enzymes to extract P from soil, into a new model formulation (FUN 3.0). We confronted and validated FUN 3.0 against empirical estimates of canopy, root, and soil P pools from 45 temperate forest plots in Indiana, USA, and 18 tropical dry forest plots located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, that vary in P availability and distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal associated trees. FUN 3.0 was able to accurately predict N and P retranslocation across the temperate and tropical forest sites (slopes of 0.95 and 0.92 for P and N retranslocation, respectively). Carbon costs for acquiring P were three times higher in tropical forest sites compared to temperate forest sites, driving overall higher C costs in tropical sites. In addition, the N costs for acquiring P in tropical forest sites lead to a substantial increase in N fixation to support phosphatase enzyme production. Sensitivity analyses showed that tropical sites appeared to be severely P limited, while the temperate sites showed evidence for co-limitation by N and P. Collectively, FUN 3.0 provides a novel framework for predicting coupled N and P limitation that earth system models can leverage to enhance predictions of ecosystem response to global change.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00043/fullearth system modelmycorrhizaeplant-soil interactionsnutrient limitationoptimal allocation |
| spellingShingle | Kara Allen Kara Allen Joshua B. Fisher Joshua B. Fisher Richard P. Phillips Jennifer S. Powers Jennifer S. Powers Edward R. Brzostek Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests Frontiers in Forests and Global Change earth system model mycorrhizae plant-soil interactions nutrient limitation optimal allocation |
| title | Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests |
| title_full | Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests |
| title_fullStr | Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests |
| title_short | Modeling the Carbon Cost of Plant Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Across Temperate and Tropical Forests |
| title_sort | modeling the carbon cost of plant nitrogen and phosphorus uptake across temperate and tropical forests |
| topic | earth system model mycorrhizae plant-soil interactions nutrient limitation optimal allocation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/ffgc.2020.00043/full |
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