A General Model for the Seasonal to Decadal Dynamics of Leaf Area.

ABSTRACT: Leaf phenology, represented at the ecosystem scale by the seasonal dynamics of leaf area index (LAI), is a key control on the exchanges of CO₂, energy, and water between the land and atmosphere. Robust simulation of leaf phenology is thus important for both dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) and land-surface representations in climate and Earth System models. There is no general agreement on how leaf phenology should be modeled. However, a recent theoretical advance posits a universal relationship between the time course of "steady-state" gross primary production (GPP) and LAI-that is, the mutually consistent LAI and GPP that would pertain if weather conditions were held constant. This theory embodies the concept that leaves should be displayed when their presence is most

SUBMITTER: Zhou B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11926779 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature