Relationships between tree height and carbon isotope discrimination

Nate G. McDowell; Barbara J. Bond; Lee T. Dickman; Michael G. Ryan; David Whitehead

Treesearch

Relationships between tree height and carbon isotope discrimination

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Nate G. McDowell, Barbara J. Bond, Lee T. Dickman, Michael G. Ryan, David Whitehead

Year:

2011

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

In: Meinzer, F. C.; Dawson, T. E.; Lachenbruch, B ., editors. Size- and Age-Related Changes in Tree Structure and Function. New York: Springer. p. 255-286.

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Abstract

Understanding how tree size impacts leaf- and crown-level gas exchange is essential to predicting forest yields and carbon and water budgets. The stable carbon isotope ratio of organic matter has been used to examine the relationship of gas exchange to tree size for a host of species because it carries a temporally integrated signature of foliar photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. The carbon isotope composition of leaves reflects discrimination against 13C relative to 12C during photosynthesis and is the net result of the balance of change in CO2 supply and demand at the sites of photosynthesis within the leaf mesophyll.

Keywords

tree height, carbon isotope ratio

Citation

McDowell, Nate G.; Bond, Barbara J.; Dickman, Lee T.; Ryan, Michael G.; Whitehead, David. 2011. Relationships between tree height and carbon isotope discrimination. In: Meinzer, F. C.; Dawson, T. E.; Lachenbruch, B ., editors. Size- and Age-Related Changes in Tree Structure and Function. New York: Springer. p. 255-286.