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Leaf gas exchange characteristics and water- and nitrogen-use efficiencies of dominant grass and tree species in a West African savanna

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Abstract

Whereas leaf gas exchange properties are important to assess carbon and water fluxes in ecosystems worldwide, information of this type is scarce for savanna species. In this study, gas exchange characteristics of 2 C4 grass species (Andropogon canaliculatus and Hyparrhenia diplandra) and 2 C3 tree species (Crossopteryx febrifuga and Cussonia arborea) from the West-African savanna of Lamto (Ivory Coast) were investigated in the field. Measurements were done in order to provide data to allow the parameterization of biochemically-based models of photosynthesis (for C4 and C3 plant metabolic types) and stomatal conductance ; and to compare gas exchange characteristics of coexisting species. No systematic difference was found between grass and tree species for reference stomatal conductance, under standard environmental conditions, or stomatal response to incident light or vapour pressure deficit at leaf surface. Conversely, grass species displayed higher water (1.5-2 fold) and nitrogen (2-5 fold) photosynthetic use efficiencies (WUE and NUE, ratio of net photosynthesis to transpiration and leaf nitrogen, respectively). These contrasts were attributed to the CO2 concentrating mechanism of C4 plants. When looking within plant life forms, no important difference was found between grass species. However, significant contrasts were found between tree species, Cussonia showing higher NUE and reference stomatal conductance than Crossopteryx. These results stress the need to account for functional diversity when estimating ecosystem carbon and water fluxes. In particular, our results suggest that the tree/grass ratio, and also the composition of the tree layer, could strongly affect WUE and NUE at the ecosystem scale in West African savannas.

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Author notes

  1. Guillaume Simioni

    Present address: CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products and CRC for Greenhouse Accounting, PO Box E4008, Kingston ACT, 2604, Australia

  2. Xavier Le Roux

    Present address: Laboratoire d’Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS 5557, bât. Gregor Mendel, 43 bd du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622, Villeurbanne cedex, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Fonctionnement et Evolution des Systèmes Ecologiques, CNRS-ENS-Paris 6, 46 rue d’Ulm, 75230, Paris cedex 05, France

    Guillaume Simioni & Jacques Gignoux

  2. UMR Integrated Tree Physiology, INRA/Univ. Blaise Pascal, 234 av. du Brezet, 63039, Clermont Ferrand, France

    Xavier Le Roux

  3. Landcare Research, Massey University, Private Bag 11052, Riddet Road, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Adrian S. Walcroft

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  1. Guillaume Simioni
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  2. Xavier Le Roux
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  4. Adrian S. Walcroft
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Correspondence to Guillaume Simioni.

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Simioni, G., Le Roux, X., Gignoux, J. et al. Leaf gas exchange characteristics and water- and nitrogen-use efficiencies of dominant grass and tree species in a West African savanna. Plant Ecology 173, 233–246 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:VEGE.0000029323.74523.80

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