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Historical analysis of mangrove leaf traits throughout the 19th and 20th centuries reveals differential responses to increases in atmospheric CO 2
Author(s) -
Reef Ruth,
Lovelock Catherine E
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
global ecology and biogeography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.164
H-Index - 152
eISSN - 1466-8238
pISSN - 1466-822X
DOI - 10.1111/geb.12211
Subject(s) - mangrove , ecology , interspecific competition , latitude , productivity , environmental science , carbon cycle , carbon sequestration , biology , botany , ecosystem , geography , carbon dioxide , geodesy , economics , macroeconomics
Aim To reconstruct the historic response of two dominant mangrove species to increases in atmospheric CO 2 over the past two centuries. Location I ndo‐ P acific. Methods We use a novel approach to assess plant responses to rising atmospheric CO 2 concentrations by measuring leaf traits of herbarium specimens of two dominant and widespread mangrove species. Results Leaf traits were correlated with atmospheric CO 2 concentration and latitude, but not with rainfall or the multidecadal multivariate E l N iño– S outhern O scillation index. R hizophora stylosa and A vicennia marina exhibited significant differences in their response to elevated CO 2 . Increases in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations over the past 165 years have led to a corresponding rise in photosynthetic carbon gain by the widespread mangrove A . marina , but not by R . stylosa.Main conclusions CO 2 fixation is at the heart of plant energy acquisition, global primary productivity and CO 2 sequestration. Given that atmospheric CO 2 concentrations have been rapidly rising for the past two centuries, surprisingly few datasets have examined the long‐term response of trees to rising CO 2 . Our results suggest changes to interspecific interactions, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration in these globally significant forests are expected as CO 2 concentrations continue to increase.