Abstract
The ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 concentrations (c i/c a) plays a key role in ecophysiology, micrometeorology, and global climatic change. However, systematic investigation on c i/c a variation and its determinants are rare. Here, the c i/c a was derived from measuring ecosystem fluxes in an even-aged monoculture of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis). We tested whether c i/c a is constant across environmental gradients and if not, which dominant factors control c i/c a variations. Evidence indicates that c i/c a is not a constant. The c i/c a exhibits a clear “V”-shaped diurnal pattern and varies across the environmental gradient. Water vapor pressure deficit (D) is the dominant factor controls over the c i/c a variations. c i/c a consistently decreases with increasing D. c i/c a decreases with square root of D as predicted by the optimal stomatal model. The D-driving single-variable model could simulate c i/c a as well as that of sophisticated model. Many variables function on longer timescales than a daily cycle, such as soil water content, could improve c i/c a model prediction ability. Ecosystem flux can be effectively used to calculate c i/c a and use it to better understand various natural cycles.
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Data of this paper is available by sending e-mail to site principal investigator (wzxrri@163.com). This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31200347, 31660142) and Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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Tan, ZH., Wu, ZX., Hughes, A.C. et al. On the ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 (c i/c a) derived from ecosystem flux. Int J Biometeorol 61, 2059–2071 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-017-1403-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-017-1403-4