Impact of the hydraulic capacity of plants on water and carbon fluxes in tropical South America

Abstract

Angiosperms (flowering plants) have higher transpirational capacities than any other plants. Here we use climate model simulation to test the hypothesis that the high transpirational capacity of angiosperms plays a unique role in the maintenance of tropical rainforest. Their elevated transpiration rates are shown to increase recycling of precipitation up to ∼300 mm/yr (∼20% of total precipitation) averaged over the whole of tropical South America and to increase the wet season duration over the Amazon basin. Transpiration triggers convection by increasing moisture in the boundary layer and thereby decreasing atmospheric stability. If the moisture content of the boundary layer is sufficient, a double Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is generated in October around 60°W–50°W, as observed in present‐day climate, and the eastern part of the Amazon basin becomes wet (∼200 mm/month of precipitation). This double ITCZ is lost, however, and the region becomes dry (<50 mm/month of precipitation) in the absence of full angiosperm transpiration. Although higher water use efficiency is usually associated with plants with lower transpiration rates, water use efficiency actually increases with higher hydraulic capacity in our simulations as a result of the higher humidity and, thus, lower vapor pressure gradient between the intercellular air space within the leaf and the external atmosphere. We speculate that the high transpirational capacity of angiosperms played a significant role in the expansion of tropical rain forest.