Global patterns in leaf 13C discrimination: implications for studies of past and future climate

Kevin Mueller, Penn State

January 28, 2010 @ 12:20 pm to 01:10 pm

10 Tyson Building

Fractionation of carbon isotopes by plants during CO2 uptake and fixation varies with environmental conditions and plant functional type. Yet quantitative patterns of leaf fractionation with environmental factors or across plant types at the global scale are lacking. This knowledge gap is critical, given the relevance of such patterns for understanding the coupling of modern carbon and water cycles, projecting plant community_composition and biogeochemical cycles into the future, and interpretation of paleoclimate and ecological signatures recorded in ancient terrestrial organic matter. To address this problem, we conducted a global meta-analysis of published leaf carbon isotope values. The implications of our results for plant communities and biogeochemical cycles of the past and future are discussed.

Contact

Kristen Granger
klg297@psu.edu