Digital Commons Network^™

Alternate Trait‐Based Leaf Respiration Schemes Evaluated At Ecosystem‐Scale Through Carbon Optimization Modeling And Canopy Property Data, R. Q. Thomas, M. Williams, M. A. Cavaleri, J.‐F. Exbrayat, T. L. Smallman, L. E. Street

Michigan Tech Publications

Leaf maintenance respiration (R_leaf,m) is a major but poorly understood component of the terrestrial carbon cycle (C). Earth systems models (ESMs) use simple sub‐models relating R_leaf,m to leaf traits, applied at canopy scale. R_leaf,m models vary depending on which leaf N traits they incorporate (e.g., mass or area based) and the form of relationship (linear or nonlinear). To simulate vegetation responses to global change, some ESMs include ecological optimization to identify canopy structures that maximize net C accumulation. However, the implications for optimization of using alternate leaf‐scale empirical R_leaf,m models are undetermined. Here we combine …