Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Photosynthesis

doi:10.1146/ANNUREV.PP.40.060189.002443

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Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Photosynthesis

Journal Article•DOI•

Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Photosynthesis

Graham D. Farquhar, James R. Ehleringer, Kerry T. Hubick

01 Jan 1989-Vol. 40, Iss: 1, pp 503-537

TL;DR: In this article, the physical and enzymatic bases of carbone isotope discrimination during photosynthesis were discussed, noting how knowledge of discrimination can be used to provide additional insight into photosynthetic metabolism and the environmental influences on that process.

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Abstract: We discuss the physical and enzymatic bases of carbone isotope discrimination during photosynthesis, noting how knowledge of discrimination can be used to provide additional insight into photosynthetic metabolism and the environmental influences on that process

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Journal Article•DOI•

A handbook of protocols for standardised and easy measurement of plant functional traits worldwide

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Johannes H. C. Cornelissen¹, Sandra Lavorel², Eric Garnier², Sandra Díaz³, Nina Buchmann⁴, Diego E. Gurvich³, Peter B. Reich, H. ter Steege⁵, H. D. Morgan⁶, M. van der Heijden¹, Juli G. Pausas, Hendrik Poorter⁵ - Show less +8 more•Institutions (6)

VU University Amsterdam¹, SupAgro², National University of Cordoba³, Max Planck Society⁴, Utrecht University⁵, Macquarie University⁶

28 Aug 2003-Australian Journal of Botany

TL;DR: This paper provides an international methodological protocol aimed at standardising this research effort, based on consensus among a broad group of scientists in this field, and features a practical handbook with step-by-step recipes, for 28 functional traits recognised as critical for tackling large-scale ecological questions.

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Abstract: There is growing recognition that classifying terrestrial plant species on the basis of their function (into 'functional types') rather than their higher taxonomic identity, is a promising way forward for tackling important ecological questions at the scale of ecosystems, landscapes or biomes. These questions include those on vegetation responses to and vegetation effects on, environmental changes (e.g. changes in climate, atmospheric chemistry, land use or other disturbances). There is also growing consensus about a shortlist of plant traits that should underlie such functional plant classifications, because they have strong predictive power of important ecosystem responses to environmental change and/or they themselves have strong impacts on ecosystem processes. The most favoured traits are those that are also relatively easy and inexpensive to measure for large numbers of plant species. Large international research efforts, promoted by the IGBP–GCTE Programme, are underway to screen predominant plant species in various ecosystems and biomes worldwide for such traits. This paper provides an international methodological protocol aimed at standardising this research effort, based on consensus among a broad group of scientists in this field. It features a practical handbook with step-by-step recipes, with relatively brief information about the ecological context, for 28 functional traits recognised as critical for tackling large-scale ecological questions.

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3,288 citations

Cites background or methods from "Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..."

...δ(13)C = 1000 × [(Rsample/Rstandard) – 1], where Rsample and Rstandard are the (13)C:(12)C ratios of the sample and the standard (PeeDee Belemnite), respectively (Farquhar et al. 1989)....
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...References on theory and significance: Kluge and Ting (1978); Osmond et al. (1980); O’Leary (1981); Wallace (1981); Farquhar et al. (1989); Poorter (1989); Earnshaw et al. (1990); Ehleringer (1991); Ehleringer et al. (1997); Lüttge (1997); Zotz and Ziegler (1997); Lambers et al. (1998); Wand et al.…...
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...Carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) are calculated as δ13C = 1000 × [(Rsample/Rstandard) – 1], where Rsample and Rstandard are the 13C:12C ratios of the sample and the standard (PeeDee Belemnite), respectively (Farquhar et al. 1989)....
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...More on methods: Farquhar et al. (1989); Ehleringer (1991); Belea et al. (1998); Pierce et al. (2002)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

New handbook for standardised measurement of plant functional traits worldwide

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Natalia Pérez-Harguindeguy¹, Sandra Díaz¹, Eric Garnier², Sandra Lavorel³, Hendrik Poorter, Pedro Jaureguiberry¹, M.S. Bret-Harte⁴, William K. Cornwell⁵, Joseph M. Craine⁶, Diego E. Gurvich¹, Carlos Urcelay¹, Erik J. Veneklaas⁷, Peter B. Reich⁸, Lourens Poorter⁹, Ian J. Wright¹⁰, P. Ray¹¹, Lucas Enrico¹, Juli G. Pausas¹², A. C. de Vos⁵, Nina Buchmann¹³, Guillermo Funes¹, Fabien Quétier¹, Fabien Quétier³, John G. Hodgson, Ken Thompson¹⁴, H. D. Morgan, H. ter Steege¹⁵, M.G.A. Van Der Heijden¹⁵, Lawren Sack¹⁶, Benjamin Blonder¹⁷, Peter Poschlod¹⁸, Maria Victoria Vaieretti¹, Georgina Conti¹, A. C. Staver¹⁹, S. Aquino²⁰, Johannes H. C. Cornelissen⁵ - Show less +32 more•Institutions (20)

National University of Cordoba¹, SupAgro², Joseph Fourier University³, University of Alaska Fairbanks⁴, VU University Amsterdam⁵, Kansas State University⁶, University of Western Australia⁷, University of Minnesota⁸, Wageningen University and Research Centre⁹, Macquarie University¹⁰, Stanford University¹¹, Spanish National Research Council¹², ETH Zurich¹³, University of Sheffield¹⁴, Utrecht University¹⁵, University of California, Los Angeles¹⁶, University of Arizona¹⁷, University of Regensburg¹⁸, Princeton University¹⁹, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza²⁰

26 Apr 2013-Australian Journal of Botany

TL;DR: This new handbook has a better balance between whole-plant traits, leaf traits, root and stem traits and regenerative traits, and puts particular emphasis on traits important for predicting species’ effects on key ecosystem properties.

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Abstract: Plant functional traits are the features (morphological, physiological, phenological) that represent ecological strategies and determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels and influence ecosystem properties. Variation in plant functional traits, and trait syndromes, has proven useful for tackling many important ecological questions at a range of scales, giving rise to a demand for standardised ways to measure ecologically meaningful plant traits. This line of research has been among the most fruitful avenues for understanding ecological and evolutionary patterns and processes. It also has the potential both to build a predictive set of local, regional and global relationships between plants and environment and to quantify a wide range of natural and human-driven processes, including changes in biodiversity, the impacts of species invasions, alterations in biogeochemical processes and vegetation–atmosphere interactions. The importance of these topics dictates the urgent need for more and better data, and increases the value of standardised protocols for quantifying trait variation of different species, in particular for traits with power to predict plant- and ecosystem-level processes, and for traits that can be measured relatively easily. Updated and expanded from the widely used previous version, this handbook retains the focus on clearly presented, widely applicable, step-by-step recipes, with a minimum of text on theory, and not only includes updated methods for the traits previously covered, but also introduces many new protocols for further traits. This new handbook has a better balance between whole-plant traits, leaf traits, root and stem traits and regenerative traits, and puts particular emphasis on traits important for predicting species’ effects on key ecosystem properties. We hope this new handbook becomes a standard companion in local and global efforts to learn about the responses and impacts of different plant species with respect to environmental changes in the present, past and future.

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2,744 citations

Cites background from "Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..."

...References on theory and significance: Rabotnov (1950); Schweingruber (1996); Fischer and Stöcklin (1997); Larson (2001); Schweingruber and Poschlod (2005); De Witte and Stöcklin (2010)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Global vegetation change through the Miocene/Pliocene boundary

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Thure E. Cerling¹, John Harris, Bruce J. MacFadden², Meave G. Leakey, Jay Quade³, Véra Eisenmann, James R. Ehleringer¹ - Show less +3 more•Institutions (3)

University of Utah¹, Florida Museum of Natural History², University of Arizona³

01 Jan 1997-Nature

TL;DR: For example, this paper found that between 8 and 6 million years ago, there was a global increase in the biomass of plants using C4 photosynthesis as indicated by changes in the carbon isotope ratios of fossil tooth enamel in Asia, Africa, North America and South America.

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Abstract: Between 8 and 6 million years ago, there was a global increase in the biomass of plants using C4 photosynthesis as indicated by changes in the carbon isotope ratios of fossil tooth enamel in Asia, Africa, North America and South America. This abrupt and widespread increase in C4 biomass may be related to a decrease in atmospheric CO2 concentrations below a threshold that favoured C3-photosynthesizing plants. The change occurred earlier at lower latitudes, as the threshold for C3 photosynthesis is higher at warmer temperatures.

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1,886 citations

Cites background from "Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..."

...gif" NDATA ITEM> ]> The C 3 and C 4 photosynthetic pathways fractionate carbon isotopes to different degrees; C 3 and C 4 plants have δ 13 C values ranging from about −22‰ to −30‰ and −10‰ to −14‰, respectivel...
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Journal Article•DOI•

Beyond Global Warming: Ecology and Global Change

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Peter M. Vitousek

01 Oct 1994-Ecology

TL;DR: There are three major causes of global environmental change: increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, alterations in the biogeochemistry of the global nitrogen cycle, and ongoing land use/land cover change as mentioned in this paper.

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Abstract: While ecologists involved in management or policy often are advised to learn to deal with uncertainty, there are a number of components of global environmental change of which we are certain–certain that they are going on, and certain that they are human—caused. Some of these are largely ecological changes, and all have important ecological consequences. Three of the well—documented global changes are: increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; alterations in the biogeochemistry of the global nitrogen cycle; and ongoing land use/land cover change. Human activity–now primarily fossil fuel combustion– has increased carbon dioxide concentrations from °280 to 355 mL/L since 1800; the increase is unique, at least in the past 160 000 yr, and several lines of evidence demonstrate unequivocally that it is human—caused. This increase is likely to have climatic consequences–and certainly it has direct effects on biota in all Earth's terrestrial ecosystems. The global nitrogen cycle has been altered by human activity to such an extent that more nitrogen is fixed annually by humanity (primarily for nitrogen fertilizer, also by legume crops and as a by product of fossil fuel combustion) than by all natural pathways combined. This added nitrogen alters the chemistry of the atmosphere and of aquatic ecosystems, contributes to eutrophiction of the biosphere, and has substantial regional effects on biological diversity in the most affected areas. Finally, human land use/land cover change has transformed one—their to one—half of Earth's ice—free surface. This in and of itself probably represents the most important component of global change now and will for some decades to come; it has profound effects on biological diversity on land and on ecosystems downwind and downstream of affected areas. Overall, any clear dichotomy between pristine ecosystems and human—altered areas that may have existed in the past has vanished, and ecological research should account for this reality. These three and other equally certain components of global environmental change are the primary causes of anticipated changes in climate, and of ongoing losses of biological diversity. They are caused in turn by the extraordinary growth in size and resource use of the human population. On a broad scale, there is little uncertainty about any of these components of change or their causes. However, much of the public believes the causes–even the existence–of global change to be uncertain and contentious topics. By speaking out effectively, we can help to shift the focus of public discussion towards what can and should be done about global environmental change.

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1,781 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Stable Isotopes in Plant Ecology

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Todd E. Dawson, Stefania Mambelli, Agneta H. Plamboeck, Pamela H. Templer, Kevin P. Tu - Show less +1 more

01 Nov 2002-Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics

TL;DR: How isotope measurements associated with the critical plant resources carbon, water, and nitrogen have helped deepen the understanding of plant-resource acquisition, plant interactions with other organisms, and the role of plants in ecosystem studies is reviewed.

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Abstract: ▪ Abstract The use of stable isotope techniques in plant ecological research has grown steadily during the past two decades. This trend will continue as investigators realize that stable isotopes can serve as valuable nonradioactive tracers and nondestructive integrators of how plants today and in the past have interacted with and responded to their abiotic and biotic environments. At the center of nearly all plant ecological research which has made use of stable isotope methods are the notions of interactions and the resources that mediate or influence them. Our review, therefore, highlights recent advances in plant ecology that have embraced these notions, particularly at different spatial and temporal scales. Specifically, we review how isotope measurements associated with the critical plant resources carbon, water, and nitrogen have helped deepen our understanding of plant-resource acquisition, plant interactions with other organisms, and the role of plants in ecosystem studies. Where possible we also...

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1,710 citations

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References

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Open Access

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Journal Article•DOI•

Mechanisms of salt tolerance in nonhalophytes.

[...]

H. Greenway, Rana Munns

01 Jun 1980-Annual Review of Plant Biology

4,091 citations

"Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..." refers background in this paper

...In nonhalophytic species, increased salinity has numerous metabolic effects (48)....
[...]

Journal Article•DOI•

Isotopic standards for carbon and oxygen and correction factors for mass-spectrometric analysis of carbon dioxide

[...]

Harmon Craig¹•Institutions (1)

University of Chicago¹

01 Jan 1957-Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

TL;DR: In this paper, Niee's and Solenhofen standards were compared to the Chicago PDB standard for carbon and oxygen isotope ratios, and the correction factors for instrumental effects and for the nature of the mass spectra were derived.

...read moreread less

4,071 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Stomatal conductance and photosynthesis

[...]

Graham D. Farquhar, Thomas D. Sharkey

01 Jun 1982-Annual Review of Plant Biology

TL;DR: Under optimal conditions, the most outstanding genotype was ICS-1, both in plant height, number of leaves, and stomatal conductance, this being proof that this genotype develops excellently and stands out if it has the right conditions and water availability.

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Abstract: This research is part of an effort that the ICT (Institute of Tropical Cultivation) has been doing for several years tending to develop superior genotypes of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.). That is why this study aims to find tolerant or moderately tolerant cocoa genotypes and accessions to water stress with resistance to pests and diseases and high production and industrial quality. Twenty genotypes of cocoa seedlings were investigated, during the period of 6 months, in a soil with sandy-loam texture under nursery conditions, of controlled irrigation. A split plot design was used, with 40 treatments and 3 repetitions. In addition, daily data of the micro climatic characteristics (T °, HR) were taken, in which different indicators of variable were evaluated such as the stomatal conductance (CE) that is greatly influenced by the T ° and HR. The results obtained indicate that the genotypes that showed moderate tolerance to water stress were UNG - 77, UNG - 53, ICT - 1281 and ICT - 1112; the non-tolerant ones were PAS - 93, CEPEC - 2002, ICT - 2142, ICT - 1092, CP - 2005 - C10, TSH - 1188, CCN - 51, IMC - 67, PH - 17, AYP - 15, ICS - 6, BN - 34, ICT - 1506, PAS - 91, PH - 990 and ICS - 1. Under optimal conditions, the most outstanding genotype was ICS-1, both in plant height, number of leaves, and stomatal conductance, this being proof that this genotype develops excellently and stands out if it has the right conditions and water availability.

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3,693 citations

"Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..." refers background in this paper

...Sharkey & Berry (125) discussed their results in terms of slightly simplified versions of Equations 14 and 15....
[...]
...The effects on a of induction of active carbon accumulation were elegantly demonstrated by Sharkey & Berry (125)....
[...]
...rate, A, and p; remained linear beyond the operational point (40)....
[...]
...PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO DROUGHT When soil moisture levels are decreased, a common response is simultaneous decreases in photosynthesis, transpiration, and leaf conductance (40)....
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...If the "supply function" of photosynthesis (leaf conductance) decreases at a faster rate under stress than the "demand function" [photosynthetic dependence on Pi, sensu Farquhar & Sharkey (40)], then p~ will decrease....
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Journal Article•DOI•

On the Relationship Between Carbon Isotope Discrimination and the Intercellular Carbon Dioxide Concentration in Leaves

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Graham D. Farquhar, Marion H. O'Leary, Joseph A. Berry

08 Mar 1982-Australian Journal of Plant Physiology

TL;DR: It is shown how diffusion of gaseous COz can significantly affect carbon isotopic discrimination and a simple relationship between discrimination and the ratio of the intercellular and atmospheric partial pressures of COZ is developed.

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Abstract: Theory is developed to explain the carbon isotopic composition of plants. It is shown how diffusion of gaseous CO2 can significantly affect carbon isotopic discrimination. The effects on discrimination by diffusion and carboxylation are integrated, yielding a simple relationship between discrimination and the ratio of the intercellular and atmospheric partial pressures of CO2. The effects of dark respiration and photorespiration are also considered, and it is suggested that they have relatively little effect on discrimination other than via their effects on intercellular p(CO2). It is also suggested that various environmental factors such as light, temperature, salinity and drought will also have effects via changes in intercellular p(CO2). A simple method is suggested for assessing water use efficiencies in the field.

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3,382 citations

"Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..." refers background or methods in this paper

...which, when combined with Equation 8, predicts a negative linear dependence of W on A (38, 60)....
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...Of the models, that of Farquhar et al (38) has been the most extensively developed and tested....
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...Farquhar et al (35) found a significant correla tion between A in dry matter and discrete measurements of p;lPa among different species over the range of p;lPa 0.3-0.85....
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...HIGHER PLANTS everal models have been developed to describe the fractionation of carbon isotopes during Ca photosynthesis (38, 69, 97, 109, 122, 149)....
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...Higher-order kinetic reactions including Michaelis-Menten ones (38) can be treated similarly (102), and ~2 and k13 become p seudo-first-order rate constants....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Isotopic Composition of Plant Carbon Correlates With Water-Use Efficiency of Wheat Genotypes

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Graham D. Farquhar, R. A. Richards

21 Oct 1984-Australian Journal of Plant Physiology

TL;DR: It is suggested that carbon-isotope analysis may be a useful tool in selection for improved water-use efficiency in breeding programmes for C3 species.

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Abstract: Variation in carbon-isotope composition among and between wheat genotypes was correlated with variation in water-use efficiency in separate pot experiments conducted in spring-summer and in winter. In the main, winter experiment, the water-use efficiencies ranged from 2.0 to 3.7 mmolC/mol H2O (means of four replicates) while the corresponding isotope effects for leaf material ranged from 1.0225 to 1.0194. 13C was more abundant in grain than in leaves and stems. It is suggested that carbon-isotope analysis may be a useful tool in selection for improved water-use efficiency in breeding programmes for C3 species.

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2,068 citations

"Carbon Isotope Discrimination and P..." refers background or methods in this paper

...An increase in the leaf-to-air vapor pressure difference will also cause diminution ofpi and A in the short term (11) and long term (35, 39, 157)....
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...For numerical convenience, instead of using the isotope effect (a : RaIRp), Farquhar & Richards (39) proposed the use of A, the deviation of a from unity, as the measure of the carbon isotope discrimination by the plant: A nn u....
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...using the isotope effect (a = Ra/gp), Farquhar & Richards (39) proposed the use of A, the deviation of a from unity, as the measure of the carbon isotope discrimination by the plant: www....
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...Definitions Isotope effects (c~) are here defined as the ratio of carbon isotope ratios in reactant and product (39)...
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...Farquhar & Richards (39) proposed that whole plant processes should be analyzed in the same terms as chemical processes....
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