Articles | Volume 23, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-3347-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-3347-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 May 2026
Research article |
| 20 May 2026
| 20 May 2026
Sensitivity of a mechanistic photosynthesis model to tropical Andean species and environments
Sebastián González-Caro
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
Mirindi Eric Dusenge
Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Zorayda Restrepo
COLTREE Corporation, Medellin, Colombia
Andrew J. F. Cox
Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom
Ian P. Hartley
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
Patrick Meir
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Adriana Sánchez
Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
Daniel Ruiz-Carrascal
Sistema de Alertas Tempranas de Medellín y el Valle de Aburrá, SIATA, Medellin, Colombia
Lina M. Mercado
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh-Gifford, Wallingford, United Kingdom
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Short summary
Andean tropical montane forests are highly biodiverse and store carbon at levels comparable to lowland forests, yet their response to climate change remains uncertain. Using a leaf-level photosynthesis model and a transplant experiment across three elevations (14, 22 and 26 °C) in the tropical Andes, we show that intraspecific variability in key photosynthetic parameters is essential to accurately model photosynthesis and avoid underestimating montane forest carbon uptake.
Andean tropical montane forests are highly biodiverse and store carbon at levels comparable to...
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