Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Michael Aspinwall
Faculty Sponsor College
College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Sponsor Department
Biology
Location
SOARS Virtual Conference
Presentation Website
https://unfsoars.domains.unf.edu/florida-mangroves-show-no-evidence-of-thermal-acclimation-of-leaf-respiration-implications-for-coastal-carbon-cycling-and-future-climate/
Keywords
SOARS (Conference) (2020 : University of North Florida) -- Posters; University of North Florida. Office of Undergraduate Research; University of North Florida. Graduate School; College students – Research -- Florida – Jacksonville -- Posters; University of North Florida – Undergraduates -- Research -- Posters; University of North Florida. Department of Biology -- Research -- Posters; Biology; Physics; and Chemistry -- Research – Posters
Abstract
Temperature controls of physiological processes that regulate C cycling in mangrove ecosystems remain understudied. New studies that investigate mangrove sensitivity to temperature could improve representation of coastal C cycling in global scale models. Respiration represents the second largest C flux between vegetation and the atmosphere, and roughly 50% of plant respiration comes from leaves. Leaf respiration increases with temperature, but thermal acclimation can dampen this response, and mitigate the positive feedback between temperature, respiration, and atmospheric CO2. We tested whether thermal acclimation of leaf respiration (R) to seasonal temperature changes and experimental warming is similar among three common mangrove species (Avicennia germinans, Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa). Over seven months we repeatedly measured the short-term temperature response of leaf R on seedlings of each species grown under ambient and warmed treatments. Species differed in average rates of R measured at 25 °C and the temperature sensitivity of leaf R (Q10) when seasonal temperatures were high, but these differences disappeared when seasonal temperatures were low. Importantly, none of the species showed evidence of reduced R at 25 °C or reduced Q10 values at warmer growth temperatures, suggesting that mangroves may not adjust to rising temperatures, thereby accelerating a positive feedback between warming and atmospheric CO2.
Included in
Florida mangroves show no evidence of thermal acclimation of leaf respiration: implications for coastal carbon cycling and future climate
SOARS Virtual Conference
Temperature controls of physiological processes that regulate C cycling in mangrove ecosystems remain understudied. New studies that investigate mangrove sensitivity to temperature could improve representation of coastal C cycling in global scale models. Respiration represents the second largest C flux between vegetation and the atmosphere, and roughly 50% of plant respiration comes from leaves. Leaf respiration increases with temperature, but thermal acclimation can dampen this response, and mitigate the positive feedback between temperature, respiration, and atmospheric CO2. We tested whether thermal acclimation of leaf respiration (R) to seasonal temperature changes and experimental warming is similar among three common mangrove species (Avicennia germinans, Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa). Over seven months we repeatedly measured the short-term temperature response of leaf R on seedlings of each species grown under ambient and warmed treatments. Species differed in average rates of R measured at 25 °C and the temperature sensitivity of leaf R (Q10) when seasonal temperatures were high, but these differences disappeared when seasonal temperatures were low. Importantly, none of the species showed evidence of reduced R at 25 °C or reduced Q10 values at warmer growth temperatures, suggesting that mangroves may not adjust to rising temperatures, thereby accelerating a positive feedback between warming and atmospheric CO2.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/soars/2020/spring_2020/102