Historical analysis of mangrove leaf traits throughout the 19th and 20th centuries reveals differential responses to increases in atmospheric CO2. Issue 11 (16th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reef, Ruth; Lovelock, Catherine E
• Is Part Of: Global ecology & biogeography. Volume 23:Issue 11(2014:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1209
• Page End: 1214
• Publication Date: 2014-09-16
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Biogeography -- Periodicals; Biodiversity -- Periodicals; Macroevolution -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/geb.12211
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-822X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="geb12211-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To reconstruct the historic response of two dominant mangrove species to increases in atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> over the past two centuries.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12211-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Location</title> <p>Indo‐Pacific.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12211-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We use a novel approach to assess plant responses to rising atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations by measuring leaf traits of herbarium specimens of two dominant and widespread mangrove species.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12211-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Leaf traits were correlated with atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentration and latitude, but not with rainfall or the multidecadal multivariate El Niño–Southern Oscillation index. <italic>Rhizophora stylosa</italic> and <italic>Avicennia marina</italic> exhibited significant differences in their response to elevated CO<sub>2</sub>. Increases in atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations over the past 165 years have led to a corresponding rise in photosynthetic carbon gain by the widespread mangrove <italic>A. marina</italic>, but not by <italic>R. stylosa.</italic></p> </sec> <sec id="geb12211-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main conclusions</title> <p>CO<sub>2</sub> fixation is at the heart of plant energy acquisition, global primary productivity and CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration. Given that atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations have been rapidly rising for the past two centuries, surprisingly few datasets have examined the long‐term response of trees to rising CO<sub>2</sub>. Our results suggest changes to interspecific interactions, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration in these globally significant forests are expected as CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations continue to increase.</p> </sec> </abstract>