Photosynthetica 2024, 62(3):318-325 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2024.034

Vapor-pressure-deficit-controlled temperature response of photosynthesis in tropical trees

C.E. EZE1, 2, K. WINTER1, M. SLOT1
1 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
2 Department of Agronomy, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State 440109, Nigeria

Rising temperatures can affect stomatal and nonstomatal control over photosynthesis, through stomatal closure in response to increasing vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and biochemical limitations, respectively. To explore the independent effects of temperature and VPD, we conducted leaf-level temperature-response measurements while controlling VPD on three tropical tree species. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance consistently decreased with increasing VPD, whereas photosynthesis typically responded weakly to changes in temperature when a stable VPD was maintained during measurements, resulting in wide parabolic temperature-response curves. We have shown that the negative effect of temperature on photosynthesis in tropical forests across ecologically important temperature ranges does not stem from direct warming effects on biochemical processes but from the indirect effect of warming, through changes in VPD. Understanding the acclimation potential of tropical trees to elevated VPD will be critical to anticipate the consequences of global warming for tropical forests.

Additional key words: climate change; photosynthesis; stomatal conductance; temperature response; tropical forest; vapor pressure deficit.

Received: May 30, 2024; Revised: May 30, 2024; Accepted: September 6, 2024; Prepublished online: October 10, 2024; Published: October 14, 2024  Show citation

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EZE, C.E., WINTER, K., & SLOT, M. (2024). Vapor-pressure-deficit-controlled temperature response of photosynthesis in tropical trees. Photosynthetica, 62(3), 318-325. doi: 10.32615/ps.2024.034
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