Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests

The net primary productivity (NPP) of forest ecosystems plays a crucial role in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle under global climate change. While the temporal effect driven by ecosystem processes on NPP variations is well-documented, spatial variations (from local to regional scales) remain...

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Main Authors: Xuerui Wang, Xuetao Qiao, Senxuan Lin, Qingmin Yue, Minhui Hao, Jingyuan He, Rihan Da, Chunyu Zhang, Xiuhai Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-12-01
Series:Forest Ecosystems
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2197562025000752
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author Xuerui Wang
Xuetao Qiao
Senxuan Lin
Qingmin Yue
Minhui Hao
Jingyuan He
Rihan Da
Chunyu Zhang
Xiuhai Zhao
author_facet Xuerui Wang
Xuetao Qiao
Senxuan Lin
Qingmin Yue
Minhui Hao
Jingyuan He
Rihan Da
Chunyu Zhang
Xiuhai Zhao
author_sort Xuerui Wang
collection DOAJ
description The net primary productivity (NPP) of forest ecosystems plays a crucial role in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle under global climate change. While the temporal effect driven by ecosystem processes on NPP variations is well-documented, spatial variations (from local to regional scales) remain inadequately understood. To evaluate the scale-dependent effects of productivity, predictions from the Biome-BGC model were compared with moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and biometric NPP data in a large temperate forest region at both local and regional levels. Linear mixed-effect models and variance partitioning analysis were used to quantify the effects of environmental heterogeneity and trait variation on simulated NPP at varying spatial scales. Results show that NPP had considerable predictability at the local scale, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.37, but this predictability declined significantly to 0.02 ​at the regional scale. Environmental heterogeneity and photosynthetic traits collectively explained 94.8% of the local variation in NPP, which decreased to 86.7% regionally due to the reduced common effects among these variables. Locally, the leaf area index (LAI) predominated (34.6%), while at regional scales, the stomatal conductance and maximum carboxylation rate were more influential (41.1%). Our study suggests that environmental heterogeneity drives the photosynthetic processes that mediate NPP variations across spatial scales. Incorporating heterogeneous local conditions and trait variations into analyses could enhance future research on the relationship between climate and carbon cycles at larger scales.
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spelling doaj-art-0b046a1f33b34fe5b79cc6eb9b4cc30c2025-08-20T05:06:22ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Forest Ecosystems2197-56202025-12-011410036610.1016/j.fecs.2025.100366Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forestsXuerui Wang0Xuetao Qiao1Senxuan Lin2Qingmin Yue3Minhui Hao4Jingyuan He5Rihan Da6Chunyu Zhang7Xiuhai Zhao8State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaKey Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaNational Institute of Natural Hazards, Ministry of Emergency Management, Beijing 100085, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaThe net primary productivity (NPP) of forest ecosystems plays a crucial role in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle under global climate change. While the temporal effect driven by ecosystem processes on NPP variations is well-documented, spatial variations (from local to regional scales) remain inadequately understood. To evaluate the scale-dependent effects of productivity, predictions from the Biome-BGC model were compared with moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and biometric NPP data in a large temperate forest region at both local and regional levels. Linear mixed-effect models and variance partitioning analysis were used to quantify the effects of environmental heterogeneity and trait variation on simulated NPP at varying spatial scales. Results show that NPP had considerable predictability at the local scale, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.37, but this predictability declined significantly to 0.02 ​at the regional scale. Environmental heterogeneity and photosynthetic traits collectively explained 94.8% of the local variation in NPP, which decreased to 86.7% regionally due to the reduced common effects among these variables. Locally, the leaf area index (LAI) predominated (34.6%), while at regional scales, the stomatal conductance and maximum carboxylation rate were more influential (41.1%). Our study suggests that environmental heterogeneity drives the photosynthetic processes that mediate NPP variations across spatial scales. Incorporating heterogeneous local conditions and trait variations into analyses could enhance future research on the relationship between climate and carbon cycles at larger scales.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2197562025000752Net primary productivity (NPP)Photosynthetic processesTrait variationEnvironmental heterogeneitySpatial scalesTemperate forests
spellingShingle Xuerui Wang
Xuetao Qiao
Senxuan Lin
Qingmin Yue
Minhui Hao
Jingyuan He
Rihan Da
Chunyu Zhang
Xiuhai Zhao
Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
Forest Ecosystems
Net primary productivity (NPP)
Photosynthetic processes
Trait variation
Environmental heterogeneity
Spatial scales
Temperate forests
title Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
title_full Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
title_fullStr Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
title_full_unstemmed Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
title_short Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
title_sort scale dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests
topic Net primary productivity (NPP)
Photosynthetic processes
Trait variation
Environmental heterogeneity
Spatial scales
Temperate forests
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2197562025000752
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