Dual controls of vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture on photosynthesis in a restored temperate bog.

ABSTRACT: Despite only covering ~3 % of the land mass, peatlands store more carbon (C) per unit area than any other ecosystem. This is due to the discrepancy between C fixed by the plants (Gross primary productivity (GPP)) and decomposition. However, this C is vulnerable to frequent, severe droughts and changes in the peatland microclimate. Plants play a vital role in ecosystem C dynamics under drought by mediating water loss to the atmosphere (surface water vapour conductance) and GPP by the presence/absence of stomatal regulation. This is dependent on soil moisture, air temperature, and vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Although there is ample evidence of the role of VPD on stomatal regulation and GPP, the impact of soil moisture is still debated. We addressed this knowledge gap by investigating the

SUBMITTER: Thayamkottu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11772154 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature