Search

Tropical forests are characterized by vast biomass, complex structures and mega-biodiversity. However, the adaptation processes of these forests to seasonal water availability are less understood, especially those located in the monsoonal and mountainous regions of tropical Southeast Asia. This study used four representative tropical forests spanning from 2° N to 22° N in continental Southeast Asia to address dry-condition photosynthesis at the seasonal scale. We first provided novel and reliable estimations of ecosystem photosynthesis (gross primary production; GPP) seasonality at all four sites. As expected, both evergreen and deciduous seasonal forests exhibited higher GPPs during the rainy season than during the dry season. A bimodal pattern corresponding to solar radiation occurred in the GPP of the perhumid forest. The surface conductance (G s) was consistently lower both in the dry season and during dry spells (DSPs) than during the wet season and non-dry spells. However, this did not prevent GPP from increasing alongside increasing irradiance in the perhumid forest, suggesting that other ecosystem physiological properties, for example, the light-saturated photosynthetic rate, must have increased, thus surpassing the effect of G s reduction. Thus, perhumid forests could be defined as light-demanding ecosystems with regard to their seasonal dynamics. Seasonal forests are water-stressed ecosystems in the dry season, as shown by the reductions in GPP, G s and related ecosystem physiological properties. At all four forest sites, we observed a lack of consistent adaptive strategy to fit the water seasonality due to the diversity in leaf phenology, soil nutrient availability, root depth and other potential factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate both the amplitude and bi-phase modulation of ultrawideband (UWB) monocycle pulses using silicon microring modulator. The integrated silicon ring modulator generates the monocycle pulse train and modulates it simultaneously. By applying different driving voltages, the amplitude and phase-modulated UWB signal with a data rate of 2.5 Gb/s are achieved. The ring modulator can be thermally tuned for a free spectral range with a $\sim 50$ -mW power consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

By using eddy covariance technique, this paper quantitatively analyzed the photosynthetic characteristics of tropical seasonal rainforest ecosystem and related environmental controlling factors in Xishuangbanna in 2003-2006. In the study period, less interannual difference was observed in the net photosynthesis of the ecosystem, with the maximum photosynthesis rate (Peco,opt), respiration at daytime (Reco,d), and apparent quantum yield (α) averaged by 0.813 mg·m-2 ·s-1, 0.238 mg·m-2·s-1, and 0.0023 mg·μmol-1, respectively. As affected by the interaction of air temperature (Ta) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), the photosynthetic characteristics had some seasonal differences. In rainy season, the ecosystem had the strongest photosynthetic capacity because of the higher precipitation and warmer air temperature; in foggy and cool season, fog drip played an important role in the water relations of plants, and thereby, the ecosystem photosynthetic capacity was still higher; in dry and hot season, due to the limited precipitation and high temperature, the Ta and VPD increased, inducing a decrease of ecosystem α and Peco,opt. The net CO2 exchange of the ecosystem strongly depended on the Ta above 20 °C and the VPD above 1 kPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using eddy covariance technique, this paper quantitatively analyzed the photosynthetic characteristics of tropical seasonal rainforest ecosystem and related environmental controlling factors in Xishuangbanna in 2003-2006. In the study period, less interannual difference was observed in the net photosynthesis of the ecosystem, with the maximum photosynthesis rate (P(eco,opt)), respiration at daytime (R(eco,d)), and apparent quantum yield (alpha) averaged by 0.813 mg x m(-2) x s(-1), 0.238 mg x m(-2) x s(-1), and 0.0023 mg x micromol(-1), respectively. As affected by the interaction of air temperature (Ta) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), the photosynthetic characteristics had some seasonal differences. In rainy season, the ecosystem had the strongest photosynthetic capacity because of the higher precipitation and warmer air temperature; in foggy and cool season, fog drip played an important role in the water relations of plants, and thereby, the ecosystem photosynthetic capacity was still higher; in dry and hot season, due to the limited precipitation and high temperature, the Ta and VPD increased, inducing a decrease of ecosystem alpha and P(eco,opt). The net CO2 exchange of the ecosystem strongly depended on the Ta above 20 degrees C and the VPD above 1 kPa.

By the methods of chamber-based and eddy covariance measurements, the CO2 exchange of dominant tree species Pometia tomentosa and Gironniera subaequalis at leaf and canopy levels in the tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna was measured in different seasons of 2004. The results showed that for the two tree species, the maximum net photosynthesis (P(max A)) of canopy based on chamber-based measurement ranked in the order of rainy season (RS) > end of rainy season (ERS) > foggy-cool season (FS) > dry-hot season (DS), and the dark respiration rate (Rd) of leaf was RS > ERS > DS > FS. The P(max B) based on eddy covariance measurement was in the same order as that based on chamber-based measurement, while the canopy respiration rate (Re) was RS > DS > FS > ERS. The maximum net photosynthetic rate of canopy in different seasons measured by the two methods had a comparatively small difference, ranging from 0.9 to 2.0 micromol m(-2) s(-1).