Implications of improved representations of plant respiration in a changing climate

Chris Huntingford (), Owen K. Atkin, Alberto Martinez- de la Torre, Lina M. Mercado, Mary A. Heskel, Anna B. Harper, Keith J. Bloomfield, Odhran S. O’Sullivan, Peter B. Reich, Kirk R. Wythers, Ethan E. Butler, Ming Chen, Kevin L. Griffin, Patrick Meir, Mark G. Tjoelker, Matthew H. Turnbull, Stephen Sitch, Andy Wiltshire and Yadvinder Malhi
Additional contact information
Chris Huntingford: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Owen K. Atkin: The Australian National University
Alberto Martinez- de la Torre: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Lina M. Mercado: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Mary A. Heskel: Marine Biological Laboratory
Anna B. Harper: University of Exeter
Keith J. Bloomfield: The Australian National University
Odhran S. O’Sullivan: The Australian National University
Peter B. Reich: University of Minnesota
Kirk R. Wythers: University of Minnesota
Ethan E. Butler: University of Minnesota
Ming Chen: University of Minnesota
Kevin L. Griffin: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University
Patrick Meir: The Australian National University
Mark G. Tjoelker: Western Sydney University
Matthew H. Turnbull: University of Canterbury
Stephen Sitch: University of Exeter
Andy Wiltshire: Met Office
Yadvinder Malhi: Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Land-atmosphere exchanges influence atmospheric CO2. Emphasis has been on describing photosynthetic CO2 uptake, but less on respiration losses. New global datasets describe upper canopy dark respiration (R d) and temperature dependencies. This allows characterisation of baseline R d, instantaneous temperature responses and longer-term thermal acclimation effects. Here we show the global implications of these parameterisations with a global gridded land model. This model aggregates R d to whole-plant respiration R p, driven with meteorological forcings spanning uncertainty across climate change models. For pre-industrial estimates, new baseline R d increases R p and especially in the tropics. Compared to new baseline, revised instantaneous response decreases R p for mid-latitudes, while acclimation lowers this for the tropics with increases elsewhere. Under global warming, new R d estimates amplify modelled respiration increases, although partially lowered by acclimation. Future measurements will refine how R d aggregates to whole-plant respiration. Our analysis suggests R p could be around 30% higher than existing estimates.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01774-z

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