Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems
<p>With a changing climate, it is becoming increasingly critical to understand vegetation responses to limiting environmental factors. Here, we investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of light and water limitation on photosynthesis using an observational framework. Our study is unique in...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/19/5575/2022/bg-19-5575-2022.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811205476755439616 |
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| author | F. Jonard F. Jonard A. F. Feldman A. F. Feldman D. J. Short Gianotti D. Entekhabi |
| author_facet | F. Jonard F. Jonard A. F. Feldman A. F. Feldman D. J. Short Gianotti D. Entekhabi |
| author_sort | F. Jonard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>With a changing climate, it is becoming increasingly critical to
understand vegetation responses to limiting environmental factors. Here, we
investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of light and water limitation
on photosynthesis using an observational framework. Our study is unique in
characterizing the nonlinear relationships between photosynthesis and water
and light, acknowledging approximately two regime behaviours (no limitation
and varying degrees of limitation). It is also unique in using an
observational framework instead of using model-derived photosynthesis
properties. We combine data from three different satellite sensors, i.e.,
sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), surface soil
moisture from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) microwave radiometer, and vegetation greenness from the Moderate
Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We find both
single-regime and two-regime models describe SIF sensitivity to soil
moisture and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) across the globe. The
distribution and strength of soil moisture limitation on SIF are mapped in
the water-limited environments, while the distribution and strength of PAR
limitations are mapped in the energy-limited environments. A two-regime
behaviour is detected in 73 % of the cases for water limitation on
photosynthesis, while two-regime detection is much lower at 41 % for light limitation on photosynthesis. SIF sensitivity to PAR strongly increases
along moisture gradients, reflecting mesic vegetation's adaptation to making
rapid usage of incoming light availability on the weekly timescales. The
transition point detected between the two regimes is connected to soil type
and mean annual precipitation for the SIF–soil moisture relationship and for
the SIF–PAR relationship. These thresholds therefore have an explicit
relation to properties of the landscape, although they may also be related
to finer details of the vegetation and soil interactions not resolved by the
spatial scales here. The simple functions and thresholds are emergent
behaviours capturing the interaction of many processes. The observational
thresholds and strength of coupling can be used as benchmark information for
Earth system models, especially those that characterize gross primary
production mechanisms and vegetation dynamics.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:33:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-95f4c38f52c840d496ccc07b3c34215e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:33:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-95f4c38f52c840d496ccc07b3c34215e2022-12-22T03:49:30ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892022-12-01195575559010.5194/bg-19-5575-2022Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystemsF. Jonard0F. Jonard1A. F. Feldman2A. F. Feldman3D. J. Short Gianotti4D. Entekhabi5Earth Observation and Ecosystem Modelling Laboratory, SPHERES Research Unit, Université de Liège (ULiege), 4000 Liège, BelgiumAgrosphere (IBG-3), Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, GermanyNASA Postdoctoral Program, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USABiospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USAParsons Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USAParsons Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA<p>With a changing climate, it is becoming increasingly critical to understand vegetation responses to limiting environmental factors. Here, we investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of light and water limitation on photosynthesis using an observational framework. Our study is unique in characterizing the nonlinear relationships between photosynthesis and water and light, acknowledging approximately two regime behaviours (no limitation and varying degrees of limitation). It is also unique in using an observational framework instead of using model-derived photosynthesis properties. We combine data from three different satellite sensors, i.e., sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), surface soil moisture from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) microwave radiometer, and vegetation greenness from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We find both single-regime and two-regime models describe SIF sensitivity to soil moisture and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) across the globe. The distribution and strength of soil moisture limitation on SIF are mapped in the water-limited environments, while the distribution and strength of PAR limitations are mapped in the energy-limited environments. A two-regime behaviour is detected in 73 % of the cases for water limitation on photosynthesis, while two-regime detection is much lower at 41 % for light limitation on photosynthesis. SIF sensitivity to PAR strongly increases along moisture gradients, reflecting mesic vegetation's adaptation to making rapid usage of incoming light availability on the weekly timescales. The transition point detected between the two regimes is connected to soil type and mean annual precipitation for the SIF–soil moisture relationship and for the SIF–PAR relationship. These thresholds therefore have an explicit relation to properties of the landscape, although they may also be related to finer details of the vegetation and soil interactions not resolved by the spatial scales here. The simple functions and thresholds are emergent behaviours capturing the interaction of many processes. The observational thresholds and strength of coupling can be used as benchmark information for Earth system models, especially those that characterize gross primary production mechanisms and vegetation dynamics.</p>https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/19/5575/2022/bg-19-5575-2022.pdf |
| spellingShingle | F. Jonard F. Jonard A. F. Feldman A. F. Feldman D. J. Short Gianotti D. Entekhabi Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems Biogeosciences |
| title | Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems |
| title_full | Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems |
| title_short | Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems |
| title_sort | observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems |
| url | https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/19/5575/2022/bg-19-5575-2022.pdf |
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