bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Carbon‐based secondary and structural compounds in Mediterranean shrubs growing near a natural CO2 spring
Authors: Peñuelas J. , Castells E. , Joffre R. , Tognetti R. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe studied carbon‐based secondary and structural compounds (CBSSCs) in Myrtus communis, Erica arborea, and Juniperus communis co‐occurring in a natural CO2 spring site and in a nearby control site in a Mediterranean environment. Leaf concentrations of phenolics and CBSSCs, such as lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNCs), and lipids were measured monthly (phenolics) and every two months (the other compounds) throughout a year. There was a slight seasonal trend towards maximum concentrations of most of these CBSSCs during autumn–winter and minimum values during the spring season, particularly in Myrtus communis. For most of the CBSSCs and species, there were no consistent or significant patterns in response to the elevated [CO2] (c. 700 μmol mol−1) of the spring site. These results were not due to a dilution effect by increased structural or nonstructural carbon. Therefore, in contrast to many experimental studies of CO2 enrichment, mainly conducted for short periods, there were no greater concentrations of phenolics, and, as in many of these studies, there were neither greater concentrations of the other CBSSCs. These results do not agree with the predictions of the carbon source‐sink hypotheses. Possible causes of this disagreement are discussed. These causes include the complex heterogeneous environmental conditions and the variability of resource availabilities in the field, photosynthetic down‐regulation, and/or the homeostatic and evolutionary nature of organisms. These results suggest evolutionary adaptive responses to changes in CO2. They also suggest caution in attributing increased CBSSC concentrations to elevated [CO2] at long‐term scale in natural conditions, and therefore in their implications for plant–herbivore interactions and for decomposition.
Desertification alters patterns of aboveground net primary production in Chihuahuan ecosystems
Authors: Huenneke Laura F. , Anderson John P. , Remmenga Marta , Schlesinger William H. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe Chihuahuan desert of New Mexico, USA, has changed in historical times from semiarid grassland to desert shrublands dominated byLarrea tridentataandProsopis glandulosa. Similar displacement of perennial grasslands by shrubs typifies desertification in many regions. Such structural vegetation change could alter average values of net primary productivity, as well as spatial and temporal patterns of production. We investigated patterns of aboveground plant biomass and net primary production in five ecosystem types of the Jornada Basin Long‐Term Ecological Research (LTER) site. Comparisons of shrub‐dominated desertified systems and remnant grass‐dominated systems allowed us to test the prediction that shrublands are more heterogeneous spatially, but less variable over time, than grasslands.We measured aboveground plant biomass and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) by species, three times per year for 10 years, in 15 sites of five ecosystem types (three each inLarreashrubland,Bouteloua eriopodagrassland,Prosopisdune systems,Flourensia cernuaalluvial flats, and grass‐dominated dry lakes or playas). Spatial heterogeneity of biomass at the scale of our measurements was significantly greater in shrub‐dominated systems than in grass‐dominated vegetation. ANPP was homogeneous across space in grass‐dominated systems, and in most growing seasons was significantly more patchy in shrub vegetation. Substantial interannual variability in ANPP complicates comparison of mean values across ecosystem types, but grasslands tended to support higher ANPP values than did shrub‐dominated systems. There were significant interactions between ecosystem type and season.Grasslands demonstrated higher interannual variation than did shrub systems. Desertification has apparently altered the seasonality of productivity in these systems; grasslands were dominated by summer growth, while sites dominated byLarreaorProsopistended to have higher spring ANPP. Production was frequently uncorrelated across sites of an ecosystem type, suggesting that factors other than season, regional climate, or dominant vegetation may be significant determinants of actual NPP.
Carbon sequestration in a high‐elevation, subalpine forest
Authors: Monson R. K. , Turnipseed A. A. , Sparks J. P. , Harley P. C. , Scott‐Denton L. E. , Sparks K. , Huxman T. E. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe studied net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) dynamics in a high‐elevation, subalpine forest in Colorado, USA, over a two‐year period. Annual carbon sequestration for the forest was 6.71 mol C m−2 (80.5 g C m−2) for the year between November 1, 1998 and October 31, 1999, and 4.80 mol C m−2 (57.6 g C m−2) for the year between November 1, 1999 and October 31, 2000. Despite its evergreen nature, the forest did not exhibit net CO2 uptake during the winter, even during periods of favourable weather. The largest fraction of annual carbon sequestration occurred in the early growing‐season; during the first 30 days of both years. Reductions in the rate of carbon sequestration after the first 30 days were due to higher ecosystem respiration rates when mid‐summer moisture was adequate (as in the first year of the study) or lower mid‐day photosynthesis rates when mid‐summer moisture was not adequate (as in the second year of the study). The lower annual rate of carbon sequestration during the second year of the study was due to lower rates of CO2 uptake during both the first 30 days of the growing season and the mid‐summer months. The reduction in CO2 uptake during the first 30 days of the second year was due to an earlier‐than‐normal spring warm‐up, which caused snow melt during a period when air temperatures were lower and atmospheric vapour pressure deficits were higher, compared to the first 30 days of the first year. The reduction in CO2 uptake during the mid‐summer of the second year was due to an extended drought, which was accompanied by reduced latent heat exchange and increased sensible heat exchange. Day‐to‐day variation in the daily integrated NEE during the summers of both years was high, and was correlated with frequent convective storm clouds and concomitant variation in the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Carbon sequestration rates were highest when some cloud cover was present, which tended to diffuse the photosynthetic photon flux, compared to periods with completely clear weather.The results of this study are in contrast to those of other studies that have reported increased annual NEE during years with earlier‐than‐normal spring warming. In the current study, the lower annual NEE during 2000, the year with the earlier spring warm‐up, was due to (1) coupling of the highest seasonal rates of carbon sequestration to the spring climate, rather than the summer climate as in other forest ecosystems that have been studied, and (2) delivery of snow melt water to the soil when the spring climate was cooler and the atmosphere drier than in years with a later spring warm‐up. Furthermore, the strong influence of mid‐summer precipitation on CO2 uptake rates make it clear that water supplied by the spring snow melt is a seasonally limited resource, and summer rains are critical for sustaining high rates of annual carbon sequestration.
Satellite estimates of productivity and light use efficiency in United States agriculture, 1982–98
Authors: Lobell D. B. , Hicke J. A. , Asner G. P. , Field C. B. , Tucker C. J. , Los S. O. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractRemote sensing of net primary production (NPP) is a critical tool for assessing spatial and temporal patterns of carbon exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere. However, satellite estimates suffer from a lack of large‐scale field data needed for validation, as well as the need to parameterize plant light‐use efficiencies (LUEs). In this study, we estimated cropland NPP with the Carnegie‐Ames‐Stanford‐Approach (CASA), a biogeochemical model driven by satellite observations, and then compared these results with field estimates based on harvest data from United States Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) county statistics. Observed interannual variations in NPP over a 17‐year period were well modelled by CASA, with exceptions mainly due to occasional difficulties in estimating NPP from harvest yields. The role of environmental stressors in agriculture was investigated by running CASA with and without temperature and moisture down‐regulators, which are used in the model to simulate climate impacts on plant LUE. In most cases, correlations with NASS data were highest with modelled stresses, while the opposite was true for irrigated and temperature resistant crops. Analysis of the spatial variability in computed LUE revealed significantly higher values for corn than for other crops, suggesting a simple parameterization of LUE for future studies based on the fraction of area with corn. Absolute values of LUE were much lower than those reported in field trials, due to uncommonly high yields in most field trials, as well as overestimates of absorbed radiation in CASA attributed to bias from temporal compositing of satellite data. Total NPP for US croplands, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, was estimated as 0.62 Pg C year−1, representing ∼20% of total US NPP, and exhibited a positive trend of 3.7 Tg C year−2. These results have several implications for large‐scale carbon cycle research that are discussed, and are especially relevant for studies of the role of agriculture in the global carbon balance.
Effects of elevated temperature and carbon dioxide on seed‐set and yield of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Prasad P. V. Vara , Boote Kenneth J. , Allen L. Hartwell , Thomas Jean M. G. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIt is important to quantify and understand the consequences of elevated temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) on reproductive processes and yield to develop suitable agronomic or genetic management for future climates. The objectives of this research work were (a) to quantify the effects of elevated temperature and CO2 on photosynthesis, pollen production, pollen viability, seed‐set, seed number, seeds per pod, seed size, seed yield and dry matter production of kidney bean and (b) to determine if deleterious effects of high temperature on reproductive processes and yield could be compensated by enhanced photosynthesis at elevated CO2 levels. Red kidney bean cv. Montcalm was grown in controlled environments at day/night temperatures ranging from 28/18 to 40/30 °C under ambient (350 µmol mol−1) or elevated (700 µmol mol−1) CO2 levels. There were strong negative relations between temperature over a range of 28/18–40/30 °C and seed‐set (slope, − 6.5% °C−1) and seed number per pod (− 0.34 °C−1) under both ambient and elevated CO2 levels. Exposure to temperature > 28/18 °C also reduced photosynthesis (− 0.3 and − 0.9 µmol m−2 s−1 °C−1), seed number (− 2.3 and − 3.3 °C−1) and seed yield (− 1.1 and − 1.5 g plant−1 °C−1), at both the CO2 levels (ambient and elevated, respectively). Reduced seed‐set and seed number at high temperatures was primarily owing to decreased pollen production and pollen viability. Elevated CO2 did not affect seed size but temperature > 31/21 °C linearly reduced seed size by 0.07 g °C−1. Elevated CO2 increased photosynthesis and seed yield by approximately 50 and 24%, respectively. There was no beneficial interaction of CO2 and temperature, and CO2 enrichment did not offset the negative effects of high temperatures on reproductive processes and yield. In conclusion, even with beneficial effects of CO2 enrichment, yield losses owing to high temperature (> 34/24 °C) are likely to occur, particularly if high temperatures coincide with sensitive stages of reproductive development.
Estimating net primary productivity from grassland biomass dynamics measurements
Authors: Scurlock J. M. O. , Johnson K. , Olson R. J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractTo address the need for a high quality data set based upon field observations suitable for parameterization, calibration, and validation of terrestrial biosphere models, we have developed a comprehensive global database on net primary productivity (NPP). We have compiled field measurements of biomass and associated environmental data for multiple study sites in major grassland types worldwide. Where sufficient data were available, we compared aboveground and total NPP estimated by six computational methods (algorithms) for 31 grassland sites. As has been found previously, NPP estimates were 2–5 times higher using methods which accounted for the dynamics of dead matter, compared with what is still the most commonly applied estimate of NPP (maximum peak live biomass). It is suggested that assumptions such as the use of peak biomass as an indicator of NPP in grasslands may apply only within certain subbiomes, e.g. temperate steppe grasslands. Additional data on belowground dynamics, or other reliable estimates of belowground productivity, are required if grasslands are to be fully appreciated for their role in the global carbon cycle.
Growth, photosynthetic properties and Rubisco activities and amounts of marine macroalgae grown under current and elevated seawater CO2 concentrations
Authors: Israel Alvaro , Hophy Mazal 
Published: March 2003

AbstractGrowth rates, photosynthetic responses and the activity, amount and CO2 affinity of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) were determined for common marine macroalgae grown in seawater (containing 14.5 ± 2.1 µM CO2) or CO2‐enriched seawater (averaging 52.8 ± 19.2 µM CO2). The algae were grown in 40 L fiberglass tanks (outdoor) for 4–15 weeks and in a field experimental setup for 5 days. Growth rates of the species studied (representing the three major divisions, i.e. Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta) were generally not significantly affected by the increased CO2 concentrations in the seawater medium. Rubisco characteristics of algae cultivated in CO2‐enriched seawater were similar to those of algae grown in nonenriched seawater. The lack of response of photosynthetic traits in these aquatic plants is likely to be because of the presence of CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) which rely on HCO3– utilization, the inorganic carbon (Ci) form that dominates the total Ci pool available in seawater. Significant changes on the productivity of these particular marine algae species would not be anticipated when facing future increasing atmospheric CO2 levels.
Maximum impacts of future reforestation or deforestation on atmospheric CO2
Authors: HOUSE JOANNA I. , COLIN PRENTICE I. , LE QUÉRÉ CORINNE 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThere is scope for land‐use changes to increase or decrease CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere over the next century. Here we make simple but robust calculations of the maximum impact of such changes. Historical land‐use changes (mostly deforestation) and fossil fuel emissions have caused an increase in atmospheric concentration of CO2 of 90 ppm between the pre‐industrial era and year 2000. The projected range of CO2 concentrations in 2100, under a range of emissions scenarios developed for the IPCC, is 170–600 ppm above 2000 levels. This range is mostly due to different assumptions regarding fossil fuel emissions. If all of the carbon so far released by land‐use changes could be restored to the terrestrial biosphere, atmospheric CO2 concentration at the end of the century would be about 40–70 ppm less than it would be if no such intervention had occurred. Conversely, complete global deforestation over the same time frame would increase atmospheric concentrations by about 130–290 ppm. These are extreme assumptions; the maximum feasible reforestation and afforestation activities over the next 50 years would result in a reduction in CO2 concentration of about 15–30 ppm by the end of the century. Thus the time course of fossil fuel emissions will be the major factor in determining atmospheric CO2 concentrations for the foreseeable future.
Temporal evolution of the European forest sector carbon sink from 1950 to 1999
Authors: Nabuurs Gert‐Jan , Schelhaas Mart‐Jan , Mohren Godefridus (frits) M. J. , Field Christopher B. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractEstimates of the role of the European terrestrial biosphere in the global carbon cycle still vary by a factor 10. This is due to differences in methods and assumptions employed, but also due to difference in reference periods of the studies. The magnitude of the sink varies between years because of inter‐annual variation of short‐term climate, but also due to long‐term trends in development of the vegetation and its management. For this purpose, we present the results of an application of a carbon bookkeeping model to the forest sector of the European forests from 1950 to 1999. The analysis includes the compartments trees, soils, and wood products. The model uses statistics on European (30 countries excl. CIS) stemwood volume increment, forest area change, fellings, wood products and their international trade, and natural disturbances, supplemented with conversion coefficients, soil parameters and information on management.An (almost uninterrupted) increasing sink (Net Biome Production) in the European forest sector was found, increasing from 0.03 Pg C year−1 in the 1950s to 0.14 Pg C year−1 in the 1990s (for resp. 132 million hectares and 140 million hectares of forest). The sink in the tree and the soil compartment were approximately of the same size until 1970. After the 1970s the size of the sink in the tree biomass increases quickly, causing the tree biomass to account for some two thirds of the total sink in the 1990s. The results as presented here have to be regarded with caution especially with regard to the early decades of the analysis and with regard to the soil compartment.
Mycorrhizal fungal abundance is affected by long‐term climatic manipulations in the field
Authors: Staddon Philip L. , Thompson Ken , Jakobsen Iver , Grime J. Philip , Askew Andrew P. , Fitter Alastair H. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractClimate change treatments – winter warming, summer drought and increased summer precipitation – have been imposed on an upland grassland continuously for 7 years. The vegetation was surveyed yearly. In the seventh year, soil samples were collected on four occasions through the growing season in order to assess mycorrhizal fungal abundance. Mycorrhizal fungal colonisation of roots and extraradical mycorrhizal hyphal (EMH) density in the soil were both affected by the climatic manipulations, especially by summer drought. Both winter warming and summer drought increased the proportion of root length colonised (RLC) and decreased the density of external mycorrhizal hyphal. Much of the response of mycorrhizal fungi to climate change could be attributed to climate‐induced changes in the vegetation, especially plant species relative abundance. However, it is possible that some of the mycorrhizal response to the climatic manipulations was direct – for example, the response of the EMH density to the drought treatment. Future work should address the likely change in mycorrhizal functioning under warmer and drier conditions.
The effect of grazing by cattle on animal performance and floristic composition in Nardus‐dominated swards
Authors: Common  , Wright  , Grant  
Published: March 2003

Four groups of six spring‐calving beef cows and their calves were allocated to two replicated grazing treatments on a Nardus stricta‐dominated hill pasture in the UK during six consecutive summer grazing seasons. Treatments were applied by continuous variable stocking to maintain a sward height of either 4–5 cm (short) or 6–7 cm (tall) between tussocks of N. stricta.Cows on both treatments ingested a greater proportion of N. stricta than was present in the sward. The short treatment reduced the herbage intake of cows proportionally by 0·35 (P < 0·001) and reduced herbage digestibility by 0·03 (P < 0·01) compared with the tall treatment. Cows lost 0·02 kg d−1 live weight on the short treatment but gained 0·27 kg d−1 live weight on the tall treatment (s.e.d. 0·077; P < 0·001). Calf liveweight gains were 0·60 and 0·86 (s.e.d. 0·034; P < 0·001) kg d−1 for the short and tall treatments respectively. The greatest liveweight gains for both cows and calves occurred during the first 5–6 weeks of the grazing season and differences between treatments increased over the season. Cattle on the short treatment consistently grazed a higher proportion of N. stricta tillers more closely than those on the tall treatment, and the percentage cover of N. stricta declined more rapidly on the short treatment. After 6 years of grazing there was a considerably greater (P < 0·001) proportion of very small tussocks, i.e. less than 140 cm2 basal area, on the short treatment than on the tall treatment. The percentage cover of broad‐ and fine‐leaved grasses also declined, in contrast to previous studies. This may have been due to lower soil fertility on the site of the current experiment.It is concluded that high levels of utilization of N. stricta are incompatible with high levels of individual animal performance in lactating cows, although short periods in early summer may give acceptable performance. Lower levels of utilization such as that achieved on the 6–7 cm treatment resulted in moderate levels of animal performance and also gradually reduced the cover of N. stricta, although it took longer for the effect to be established.