Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation Research Articles

Exploring the potential of MODIS EVI for modeling gross primary production across African ecosystems

One of the most frequently applied methods for integrating controls on primary production through satellite data is the light use efficiency (LUE) approach, which links vegetation gross or net primary productivity (GPP or NPP) to remotely sensed estimates of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR). Eddy covariance towers provide continuous measurements of carbon flux, presenting an opportunity for evaluation of satellite estimates of GPP. Here we investigate relationships between eddy covariance estimated GPP, environmental variables derived from flux towers, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and GPP across African savanna ecosystems. MODIS GPP was found to underestimate GPP at the majority of sites, particularly at sites in the Sahel. EVI was found to correlate well with estimated GPP on a site-by-site basis. Combining EVI with tower-measured PAR and evaporative fraction (EF, a measure of water sufficiency) improved the direct relationship between GPP and EVI at the majority of the sites. The slope of this relationship was strongly related to site peak leaf area index (LAI). These results are promising for the extension of GPP through the use of remote sensing data to a regional or even continental scale.

Variability in Light-Use Efficiency for Gross Primary Productivity on Great Plains Grasslands

Gross primary productivity (GPP) often is estimated at regional and global scales by multiplying the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by the plant canopy (PARa) by light-use efficiency (e g ; GPP/PARa). Mass flux techniques are being used to calculate e g . Flux-based estimates of e g depend partly on how PAR absorption by plants is modeled as a function of leaf area index (LAI). We used CO2 flux measurements from three native grasslands in the Great Plains of USA to determine how varying the value of the radiation extinction coefficient (k) that is used to calculate PARa from LAI affected variability in estimates of e g for each week. The slope of linear GPP–PARa regression, an index of e g , differed significantly among the 18 site-years of data, indicating that inter-annual differences in e g contributed to the overall variability in e g values. GPP–PARa slopes differed among years and sites regardless of whether k was assigned a fixed value or varied as an exponential function of LAI. Permitting k to change with LAI reduced overall variability in e g , reduced the slope of a negative linear regression between seasonal means of e g and potential evapotranspiration (PET), and clarified the contribution of inter-annual differences in precipitation to variation in e g . Our results imply that greater attention be given to defining dynamics of the k coefficient for ecosystems with low LAI and that PET and precipitation be used to constrain the e g values employed in light-use efficiency algorithms to calculate GPP for Great Plains grasslands.

Optical properties of canopies of the tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum estimated by a three‐dimensional radiative transfer model

Three‐dimensional models of seagrass canopies were constructed by treating leaves as flexible strips that fall under their own weight into naturalistic canopy structures. Canopy structures incorporated shoot density, canopy height, and physical and along‐length optical characteristics of leaves from an empirical data set of six seagrass canopies from a reef lagoon in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. Multiple runs of a radiosity method radiative transfer model elucidated the dependence of various canopy optical properties on incident radiance zenith angle, such as within‐canopy diffuse attenuation, the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by different canopy‐complex components, along‐leaf variation in PAR absorption, and canopy bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDFs). Intersite variation in mean PAR absorption by green leaf sections was primarily associated with leaf area index (LAI). Variation in PAR absorption with incident radiance angle was generally small for incident angles within Snella's window (< 49°). Within canopies, absorption by water itself had a negligible effect. Canopy BRDFs were not Lambertian and exhibited features related to canopy architecture. Model outputs validated well in terms of energy conservation and empirical measurements of within‐canopy PAR attenuation. The model framework has clear applications to improve understanding of seagrass canopy light harvesting and photosynthetic carbon fixation and to aid the development of quantitative biooptical remote sensing methods for seagrass beds.

Interannual Variation in Photosynthetically Significant Optical Properties and Water Quality in a Coastal Blackwater River Plume

Surface water optical characteristics, nutrients, and planktonic chlorophyll a concentrations were analyzed in the Cape Fear River (CFR) plume over a 2-year period. CFR discharge during the dry year (109 ± 105 m3s−1) was only 25% of the wet year discharge (429 ± 337 m3s−1). Partitioning the contributions of phytoplankton pigments, non-pigmented particles, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) indicated that CDOM was the dominant contributor to PAR absorption. Particulate absorption was relatively greater during the dry year. Pigment absorption was minor and varied little among stations or between years. Chlorophyll a concentrations were reduced at the most plume-influenced stations during the wet year, despite lower turbidity and higher nitrate concentrations. Ammonium and orthophosphate concentrations were not different between years. CDOM absorption [a CDOM (412)] ranged from 0.05 to 8.25 m−1 with highest values occurring near the CFR mouth. Our results suggest that for coastal ecosystems with significant blackwater river inputs, CDOM may exert a major limiting influence over near-shore primary production.

Estimating crop stresses, aboveground dry biomass and yield of corn using multi-temporal optical data combined with a radiation use efficiency model

Crop descriptors, such as leaf area index, crop cover fraction, and leaf chlorophyll content, can be successfully estimated using appropriate spectral indices from the visible and near infrared spectral regions. However, these indices do not provide estimates of dry biomass, an important indicator of crop productivity. For estimating crop aboveground dry biomass and yield, this study developed an approach to integrate crop stressors and crop descriptors derived from optical remote sensing data with the Monteith radiation use efficiency model. Multi-temporal remote sensing data were acquired by the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager and the Landsat-5/7 Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (TM/ETM+) sensors to monitor the growth conditions of corn in the 2001 and 2006 growing seasons. The modified triangular vegetation index (MTVI2) derived from the remote sensing data was used to estimate the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation ( f APAR ). A canopy structure dynamics model was then used to simulate the seasonal variation of f APAR . Crop water stress was estimated from the near and shortwave infrared reflectance of the Landsat images for a dry period in the 2001 growing season. By estimating leaf chlorophyll content using the Transformed Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index (TCARI) in combination with the Optimized Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (OSAVI), different levels of nitrogen content could be identified. For the two growing seasons, the aboveground dry biomass and yield were linearly related with the cumulative absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) using the Monteith radiation use efficiency model. The cumulative APAR accounted for 96% of the corn aboveground dry biomass variability and 72% of the yield variability. Biomass and yield variability were partly explained by the variations in crop water stress intensity, which was dependent on soil texture. The seasonal radiation use efficiency was stable over the 2 years and was about 3.9 g MJ − 1 , with a confidence interval of 0.6 g MJ − 1 at the 95% confidence level. The assimilation of remotely sensed data into the radiation use efficiency model performed well for monitoring dry biomass accumulation and estimating corn yields.

Model parameterization to simulate and compare the PAR absorption potential of two competing plant species.

Mountain pastures dominated by the pasture grass Setaria sphacelata in the Andes of southern Ecuador are heavily infested by southern bracken (Pteridium arachnoideum), a major problem for pasture management. Field observations suggest that bracken might outcompete the grass due to its competitive strength with regard to the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). To understand the PAR absorption potential of both species, the aims of the current paper are to (1) parameterize a radiation scheme of a two-big-leaf model by deriving structural (LAI, leaf angle parameter) and optical (leaf albedo, transmittance) plant traits for average individuals from field surveys, (2) to initialize the properly parameterized radiation scheme with realistic global irradiation conditions of the Rio San Francisco Valley in the Andes of southern Ecuador, and (3) to compare the PAR absorption capabilities of both species under typical local weather conditions. Field data show that bracken reveals a slightly higher average leaf area index (LAI) and more horizontally oriented leaves in comparison to Setaria. Spectrometer measurements reveal that bracken and Setaria are characterized by a similar average leaf absorptance. Simulations with the average diurnal course of incoming solar radiation (1998–2005) and the mean leaf–sun geometry reveal that PAR absorption is fairly equal for both species. However, the comparison of typical clear and overcast days show that two parameters, (1) the relation of incoming diffuse and direct irradiance, and (2) the leaf–sun geometry play a major role for PAR absorption in the two-big-leaf approach: Under cloudy sky conditions (mainly diffuse irradiance), PAR absorption is slightly higher for Setaria while under clear sky conditions (mainly direct irradiance), the average bracken individual is characterized by a higher PAR absorption potential. (∼74 MJ m−2 year−1). The latter situation which occurs if the maximum daily irradiance exceeds 615 W m−2 is mainly due to the nearly orthogonal incidence of the direct solar beam onto the horizontally oriented frond area which implies a high amount of direct PAR absorption during the noon maximum of direct irradiance. Such situations of solar irradiance favoring a higher PAR absorptance of bracken occur in ∼36% of the observation period (1998–2005). By considering the annual course of PAR irradiance in the San Francisco Valley, the clear advantage of bracken on clear days (36% of all days) is completely compensated by the slight but more frequent advantage of Setaria under overcast conditions (64% of all days). This means that neither bracken nor Setaria show a distinct advantage in PAR absorption capability under the current climatic conditions of the study area.

Diurnal and seasonal variations in light-use efficiency in an alpine meadow ecosystem: causes and implications for remote sensing

Aims Light-use efficiency (LUE) is an important tool for scaling up local CO2 flux (FCO2) tower observations to regional and global carbon dynamics. Using a data set includingFCO2 and environmental factors obtained from an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau, we examined both diurnal and seasonal changes in LUE and the environmental factors controlling these changes. Our objectives were to (i) characterize the diurnal and daily variability of LUE in an alpine meadow, (ii) clarify the causes of this variability, and (iii) explore the possibility of applying the LUE approach to this alpine meadow by examining the relationship between daily LUE and hourly LUE at satellite visiting times. Methods First, we obtained the LUE—the ratio of the gross primary production (GPP) to the absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR)— from the flux tower and meteorological observations. We then characterized the patterns of diurnal and seasonal changes in LUE, explored the environmental controls on LUE using univariate regression analyses and evaluated the effects of diffuse radiation on LUE by assigning weights through a linear programming method to beam photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and diffuse PAR, which were separated from meteorological observations using an existing method. Finally, we examined the relationships between noontime hourly LUE and daily LUE and those between adjusted noontime hourly and daily LUE because satellites visit the site only once or twice a day, near noon.

Relating MODIS vegetation index time-series with structure, light absorption and stem production of fast-growing Eucalyptus plantations

By allowing the estimation of forest structural and biophysical characteristics at different temporal and spatial scales, remote sensing may contribute to our understanding and monitoring of planted forests. Here, we studied 9-year time-series of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on a network of 16 stands in fast-growing Eucalyptus plantations in São Paulo State, Brazil. We aimed to examine the relationships between NDVI time-series spanning entire rotations and stand structural characteristics (volume, dominant height, mean annual increment) in these simple forest ecosystems. Our second objective was to examine spatial and temporal variations of light use efficiency for wood production, by comparing time-series of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (APAR) with inventory data. Relationships were calibrated between the NDVI and the fractions of intercepted diffuse and direct radiation, using hemispherical photographs taken on the studied stands at two seasons. APAR was calculated from the NDVI time-series using these relationships. Stem volume and dominant height were strongly correlated with summed NDVI values between planting date and inventory date. Stand productivity was correlated with mean NDVI values. APAR during the first 2 years of growth was variable between stands and was well correlated with stem wood production ( r 2 = 0.78). In contrast, APAR during the following years was less variable and not significantly correlated with stem biomass increments. Production of wood per unit of absorbed light varied with stand age and with site index. In our study, a better site index was accompanied both by increased APAR during the first 2 years of growth and by higher light use efficiency for stem wood production during the whole rotation. Implications for simple process-based modelling are discussed.

Drivers of inter-annual variability in Net Ecosystem Exchange in a semi-arid savanna ecosystem, South Africa

Abstract. Inter-annual variability in primary production and ecosystem respiration was explored using eddy-covariance data at a semi-arid savanna site in the Kruger Park, South Africa. New methods of extrapolating night-time respiration to the entire day and filling gaps in eddy-covariance data in semi-arid systems were developed. Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in these systems occurs as pulses associated with rainfall events, a pattern not well-represented in current standard gap-filling procedures developed primarily for temperate flux sites. They furthermore do not take into account the decrease in respiration at high soil temperatures. An artificial neural network (ANN) model incorporating these features predicted measured fluxes accurately (MAE 0.42 gC/m2/day), and was able to represent the seasonal patterns of photosynthesis and respiration at the site. The amount of green leaf area (indexed using satellite-derived estimates of fractional interception of photosynthetically active radiation fAPAR), and the timing and magnitude of rainfall events, were the two most important predictors used in the ANN model. These drivers were also identified by multiple linear regressions (MLR), with strong interactive effects. The annual integral of the filled NEE data was found to range from −138 to +155 g C/m2/y over the 5 year eddy covariance measurement period. When applied to a 25 year time series of meteorological data, the ANN model predicts an annual mean NEE of 75(±105) g C/m2/y. The main correlates of this inter-annual variability were found to be variation in the amount of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), length of the growing season, and number of days in the year when moisture was available in the soil.

Can a satellite-derived estimate of the fraction of PAR absorbed by chlorophyll (FAPAR chl) improve predictions of light-use efficiency and ecosystem photosynthesis for a boreal aspen forest?

We used daily MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery obtained over a five-year period to analyze the seasonal and inter-annual variability of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) and photosynthetic light use efficiency (LUE) for the Southern Old Aspen (SOA) flux tower site located near the southern limit of the boreal forest in Saskatchewan, Canada. To obtain the spectral characteristics of a standardized land area to compare with tower measurements, we scaled up the nominal 500 m MODIS products to a 2.5 km × 2.5 km area (5 × 5 MODIS 500 m grid cells). We then used the scaled-up MODIS products in a coupled canopy-leaf radiative transfer model, PROSAIL-2, to estimate the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) by the part of the canopy dominated by chlorophyll (FAPAR chl) versus that by the whole canopy (FAPAR canopy). Using the additional information provided by flux tower-based measurements of gross ecosystem production (GEP) and incident PAR, we determined 90-minute averages for APAR and LUE (slope of GEP:APAR) for both the physiologically active foliage (APAR chl, LUE chl) and for the entire canopy (APAR canopy, LUE canopy). The flux tower measurements of GEP were strongly related to the MODIS-derived estimates of APAR chl ( r 2 = 0.78) but only weakly related to APAR canopy ( r 2 = 0.33). Gross LUE between 2001 and 2005 for LUE chl was 0.0241 µmol C µmol − 1 PPFD whereas LUE canopy was 36% lower. Time series of the 5-year normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were used to estimate the average length of the core growing season as days of year 152–259. Inter-annual variability in the core growing season LUE chl (µmol C µmol − 1 PPFD) ranged from 0.0225 in 2003 to 0.0310 in 2004. The five-year time series of LUE chl corresponded well with both the seasonal phase and amplitude of LUE from the tower measurements but this was not the case for LUE canopy. We conclude that LUE chl derived from MODIS observations could provide a more physiologically realistic parameter than the more commonly used LUE canopy as an input to large-scale photosynthesis models.

Linking foliage spectral responses to canopy-level ecosystem photosynthetic light-use efficiency at a Douglas-fir forest in Canada

The light-use efficiency (LUE) of a mature Canadian Douglas-fir forest (DF49) was studied using high-resolution in situ temporal, spatial, and spectral measurements in conjunction with fluxes acquired from an instrumented tower. We examined the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), a spectral index responsive to high light conditions that alters reflectance at 531 nm, in combination with several alternative reference bands at 551, 570, and 488 nm. These indices were derived from directional reflectance spectra acquired by a hyperspectral radiometer system mounted on the DF49 tower, viewing the canopy through almost 360° rotations multiple times an hour daily throughout the 2006 growing season. From canopy structure information, three foliage sectors within the canopy were delineated according to instantaneous illumination conditions (sunlit, shaded, and mixed shaded–sunlit). On sunny days, the PRI indices for the sunlit foliage sector captured high light-induced stress responses, expressed as significantly different PRI values for sunlit versus shaded foliage. This difference was not observed on highly diffuse or overcast days. PRIs on sunny days tracked the diurnal photoregulation responses throughout the growing season in concert with illumination intensity. We computed the effective instantaneous LUE for the three foliage groups (LUEfoliage) using modeled and measured information. We provide convincing evidence that LUEfoliage can be well described and strongly related to all variations of the PRI within this coniferous forest under relatively clear skies (0.59 > r2 > 0.80, P < 0.0001). LUEfoliage varied through the growing season between 0.015 and 0.075 µmol C µmol–1 absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), and the lowest daily values were associated with the sunlit foliage group. The mixed sunlit-shaded foliage was the only group to exhibit monthly averages close to the maximum ecosystem LUE parameter (εmax) used in LUE models for evergreen needle forests (0.0196 µmol C µmol–1 APAR). Implications for remote sensing of carbon uptake dynamics and the interaction of canopy structure and physiology are discussed.

Towards operational remote sensing of forest carbon balance across Northern Europe

Abstract. Monthly averages of ecosystem respiration (ER), gross primary production (GPP) and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) over Scandinavian forest sites were estimated using regression models driven by air temperature (AT), absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) and vegetation indices. The models were constructed and evaluated using satellite data from Terra/MODIS and measured data collected at seven flux tower sites in northern Europe. Data used for model construction was excluded from the evaluation. Relationships between ground measured variables and the independent variables were investigated. It was found that the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) at 250 m resolution was highly noisy for the coniferous sites, and hence, 1 km EVI was used for the analysis. Linear relationships between EVI and the biophysical variables were found: correlation coefficients between EVI and GPP, NEE, and AT ranged from 0.90 to 0.79 for the deciduous data, and from 0.85 to 0.67 for the coniferous data. Due to saturation, there were no linear relationships between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the ground measured parameters found at any site. APAR correlated better with the parameters in question than the vegetation indices. Modeled GPP and ER were in good agreement with measured values, with more than 90% of the variation in measured GPP and ER being explained by the coniferous models. The site-specific respiration rate at 10°C (R10) was needed for describing the ER variation between sites. Even though monthly NEE was modeled with less accuracy than GPP, 61% and 75% (dec. and con., respectively) of the variation in the measured time series was explained by the model. These results are important for moving towards operational remote sensing of forest carbon balance across Northern Europe.

Effects of site management on growth, biomass partitioning and light use efficiency in a young stand of Eucalyptus grandis in South Africa

The effects of intensive site management treatments at establishment on the production ecology of a stand of Eucalyptus grandis were evaluated in South Africa. Treatments mimicked common operational practices in the region, and included slash removal, slash conservation, slash burning, topsoil disturbance through mechanised harvesting and fertilisation. We calculated the carbon distribution in the standing biomass from allometric relationships. Fine root turnover and litterfall measurements were determined using sequential coring techniques and litter traps, respectively, and this data was used to construct a full model of biomass allocation among stand components. Differences in nutrient availability to young trees, brought about by the most extreme site management treatments, produced several small but significant changes in the elements of the system's production ecology: Absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) increased from 210 to 247 Mmol photons ha −1 over the 3-year monitoring period, apparent canopy quantum efficiency ( α; defined as gross primary production per unit of APAR) from 0.026 to 0.029 mol C (mol photon) −1, and the fraction of carbon allocated to stem wood from 32.7% to 35.6% of net primary production. The magnitudes of these individual responses collectively described the increase in net primary productivity and the Type 1 timber volume response obtained. The biggest changes occurred in APAR, in contrast to published studies from higher rainfall environments where differences in nutrient availability caused greater changes in α than in APAR.

An ecosystem model for tropical forest disturbance and selective logging

A new three‐dimensional version of the Carnegie‐Ames‐Stanford Approach (CASA) ecosystem model (CASA‐3D) was developed to simulate regional carbon cycling in tropical forest ecosystems after disturbances such as logging. CASA‐3D has the following new features: (1) an alternative approach for calculating absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) using new high‐resolution satellite images of forest canopy gap fraction; (2) a pulse disturbance module to modify aboveground carbon pools following forest disturbance; (3) a regrowth module that simulates changes in community composition by considering gap phase regeneration; and (4) a radiative transfer module to simulate the dynamic three‐dimensional light environment above the canopy and within gaps after forest disturbance. The model was calibrated with and tested against field observations from experimental logging plots in the Large‐scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) project. The sensitivity of key model parameters was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations, and the uncertainties in simulated NPP and respiration associated with model parameters and meteorological variables were assessed. We found that selective logging causes changes in forest architecture and composition that result in a cascading set of impacts on the carbon cycling of rainforest ecosystems. Our model sensitivity and uncertainty analyses also highlight the paramount importance of measuring changes in canopy gap fraction from satellite data, as well as canopy light‐use efficiency from ecophysiological measurements, to understand the role of forest disturbance on landscape and regional carbon cycling in tropical forests. In sum, our study suggests that CASA‐3D may be suitable for regional‐scale applications to assess the large‐scale effects of selective logging, to provide guidance for forest management, and to understand the role of forest disturbance in regional and global climate studies.

Production and carbon allocation in a clonal Eucalyptus plantation with water and nutrient manipulations

We examined resource limitations on growth and carbon allocation in a fast-growing, clonal plantation of Eucalyptus grandis × urophylla in Brazil by characterizing responses to annual rainfall, and response to irrigation and fertililization for 2 years. Productivity measures included gross primary production (GPP), total belowground carbon allocation (TBCA), bole growth, and net ecosystem production (NEP). Replicate plots within a single plantation were established at the midpoint of the rotation (end of year 3), with treatments of no additional fertilization or irrigation, heavy fertilization (to remove any nutrient limitation), irrigation (to remove any water limitation), and irrigation plus fertilization. Rainfall was unusually high in the first year (1769 mm) of the experiment, and control plots had high rates of GPP (6.64 kg C m −2 year −1), TBCA (2.14 kg C m −2 year −1), and bole growth (1.81 kg C m −2 year −1). Irrigation increased each of these rates by 15–17%. The second year of the experiment had average rainfall (1210 mm), and lower rainfall decreased production in control plots by 46% (GPP), 52% (TBCA), and 40% (bole growth). Fertilization treatments had neglible effects. The response to irrigation was much greater in the drier year, with irrigated plots exceeding the production in control plots by 83% (GPP), 239% (TBCA), and 24% (bole growth). Even though the rate of irrigation ensured no water limitation to tree growth, the high rainfall year showed higher production in irrigated plots for both GPP (38% greater than in drier year) and bole growth (23% greater). Varying humidity and supplies of water led to a range in NEP of 0.8–2.7 kg C m −2 year −1. This difference between control and irrigated treatments, combined with differences between drier and wetter years, indicated a strong response of these Eucalyptus trees to both water supply and atmospheric humidity during the dry season. The efficiency of converting light energy into fixed carbon ranged from a low of 0.027 mol C to a high of 0.060 mol C per mol of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), and the efficiency of bolewood production ranged from 0.78 to 1.98 g wood per MJ of APAR. Irrigation increased the efficiency of wood production per unit of water used from 2.55 kg wood m −3 in the rainfed plot to 3.51 kg m −3 in irrigated plots. Detailed information on the response of C budgets to environmental conditions and resource supplies will be necessary for accurate predictions of plantation yields across years and landscapes.

Uncertainties of modeling gross primary productivity over Europe: A systematic study on the effects of using different drivers and terrestrial biosphere models

Continental to global‐scale modeling of the carbon cycle using process‐based models is subject to large uncertainties. These uncertainties originate from the model structure and uncertainty in model forcing fields; however, little is known about their relative importance. A thorough understanding and quantification of uncertainties is necessary to correctly interpret carbon cycle simulations and guide further model developments. This study elucidates the effects of different state‐of‐the‐art land cover and meteorological data set options and biosphere models on simulations of gross primary productivity (GPP) over Europe. The analysis is based on (1) three different process‐oriented terrestrial biosphere models (Biome‐BGC, LPJ, and Orchidee) driven with the same input data and one model (Biome‐BGC) driven with (2) two different meteorological data sets (ECMWF and REMO), (3) three different land cover data sets (GLC2000, MODIS, and SYNMAP), and (4) three different spatial resolutions of the land cover (0.25° fractional, 0.25° dominant, and 0.5° dominant). We systematically investigate effects on the magnitude, spatial pattern, and interannual variation of GPP. While changing the land cover map or the spatial resolution has only little effect on the model outcomes, changing the meteorological drivers and especially the model results in substantial differences. Uncertainties of the meteorological forcings affect particularly strongly interannual variations of simulated GPP. By decomposing modeled GPP into their biophysical and ecophysiological components (absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (APAR) and radiation use efficiency (RUE), respectively) we show that differences of interannual GPP variations among models result primarily from differences of simulating RUE. Major discrepancies appear to be related to the feedback through the carbon‐nitrogen interactions in one model (Biome‐BGC) and water stress effects, besides the modeling of croplands. We suggest clarifying the role of nitrogen dynamics in future studies and revisiting currently applied concepts of carbon‐water cycle interactions regarding the representation of canopy conductance and soil processes.

Developing an empirical model of stand GPP with the LUE approach: analysis of eddy covariance data at five contrasting conifer sites in Europe

AbstractThis paper develops a statistical model for daily gross primary production (GPP) in boreal and temperate coniferous forests. The model applies the light use efficiency (LUE) approach, which estimates the conversion efficiency of daily absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) into daily GPP as a product of potential LUE and modifying factors. The latter were derived from daily total APAR and daily mean temperature, vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and soil water content (SWC). Modelling data came from five European eddy covariance measurement towers over 2–8 years. The model was tested against independent data from two AmeriFlux stations. The model with the APAR, temperature and VPD modifiers worked well in almost all the site–year combinations, but the SWC modifier only improved the fit in few cases. Geographical variation was found in the modifiers and potential LUE in site‐specific models. When a model was fitted to pooled data, differences between sites could be explained by potential LUE, leaf area and environmental conditions. The test against the AmeriFlux data corroborated this finding. The potential LUE varied from 1.9 to 3.1 g C MJ−1, and a weak correlation was found between foliar nitrogen concentration and potential LUE. Some year‐to‐year variation remained which could be captured by neither the pooled nor the site‐specific models.

Assessing the ability of three land ecosystem models to simulate gross carbon uptake of forests from boreal to Mediterranean climate in Europe

Abstract. Three terrestrial biosphere models (LPJ, Orchidee, Biome-BGC) were evaluated with respect to their ability to simulate large-scale climate related trends in gross primary production (GPP) across European forests. Simulated GPP and leaf area index (LAI) were compared with GPP estimates based on flux separated eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem exchange and LAI measurements along a temperature gradient ranging from the boreal to the Mediterranean region. The three models capture qualitatively the pattern suggested by the site data: an increase in GPP from boreal to temperate and a subsequent decline from temperate to Mediterranean climates. The models consistently predict higher GPP for boreal and lower GPP for Mediterranean forests. Based on a decomposition of GPP into absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (APAR) and radiation use efficiency (RUE), the overestimation of GPP for the boreal coniferous forests appears to be primarily related to too high simulated LAI - and thus light absorption (APAR) – rather than too high radiation use efficiency. We cannot attribute the tendency of the models to underestimate GPP in the water limited region to model structural deficiencies with confidence. A likely dry bias of the input meteorological data in southern Europe may create this pattern. On average, the models compare similarly well to the site GPP data (RMSE of ~30% or 420 gC/m2/yr) but differences are apparent for different ecosystem types. In terms of absolute values, we find the agreement between site based GPP estimates and simulations acceptable when we consider uncertainties about the accuracy in model drivers, a potential representation bias of the eddy covariance sites, and uncertainties related to the method of deriving GPP from eddy covariance measurements data. Continental to global data-model comparison studies should be fostered in the future since they are necessary to identify consistent model bias along environmental gradients.

A coupled 1-D atmosphere and 3-D canopy radiative transfer model for canopy reflectance, light environment, and photosynthesis simulation in a heterogeneous landscape

Detailed knowledge of light interactions between the atmosphere and vegetation, and within vegetation are of particular interest for terrestrial carbon cycle studies and optical remote sensing. This study describes a model for 3-D canopy radiative transfer that is directly coupled with an atmospheric radiative transfer model (Forest Light Environmental Simulator, FLiES). The model was developed based on the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method using some existing modeling frameworks. To integrate the canopy radiative transfer model with atmosphere, the same numerical method, sampling technique, and variance reduction technique were employed in both the atmospheric and the canopy modules. Farquhar's leaf photosynthesis model was combined to calculate the canopy level photosynthesis from the light environmental parameters obtained by the radiative transfer calculation. In order to document the quality of the coupled model, we first compared the atmospheric radiative transfer module to well known 1-D atmospheric radiative transfer models, and then evaluated the 3-D canopy radiative transfer module against a series of test cases provided by the RAMI On-line Model Checker (ROMC). We used the model to show the impact of atmospheric properties and 3-D canopy structure on the directionality of downward photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at the top of canopy, the 3-D distribution of absorbed PAR (APAR), and overall canopy photosynthesis. The results indicate the importance to consider angular geometry of incident light at TOC and 3-D canopy structure.

Estimation of absorbed PAR across Scandinavia from satellite measurements: Part I: Incident PAR

The primary productivity of a plant community can be modeled as the product of the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by the canopy and a light use efficiency factor, where the amount of absorbed PAR (APAR) is the product of the fractional absorption and the amount of incident PAR. By implementing a method, PARcalc, using atmospheric data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), incident PAR is estimated in this study. In addition, since many PAR datasets are generated by converting shortwave radiation into PAR, the ratio of PAR to shortwave radiation was also investigated. PARcalc models the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) as a product of atmospheric transmittance, the cosine of the Sun zenith angle, and the solar constant. The atmospheric transmittance includes the attenuation of radiation by Rayleigh and aerosol scattering, and absorption by water and ozone. A cloud transmittance factor which is primarily a function of the cloud optical thickness is added in order to cope with cloudy conditions. The model was implemented at two sites in Sweden, Asa and Norunda, where in situ measurements of PPFD were made during the spring and summer of 2004. Modeled time-series were evaluated against the measurements, and daily sums of PPFD were calculated by fitting of a sine function in combination with linear interpolation of the instantaneous estimates from sunrise to sunset. This gave correlation coefficients at Norunda and Asa of 0.80 and 0.77, respectively, when comparing modeled and measured daily insolation. The average relative errors were 24% and 25%. Corresponding figures for five day averages were 0.91 and 0.86; and 9.3% and 11.9%. Instantaneous estimates of PPFD were modeled with correlation coefficients of 0 88–0 93 and average relative errors from 17.0%. These numbers were acquired when using measured values for determining cloudiness; the corresponding figures when the method is fully implemented using satellite data are 0.84 to 0.71 and 24.9%, respectively. The ratio of PAR to shortwave radiation was measured at Norunda 1 Jan to 31 Oct 2004 and was found to vary between 0.27 and 0.48 on a daily basis with an average of 0.43 for the whole period.