Early September updates

Our new Global Change Biology paper is garnering  media attention in Australia, where many of the species we measured for high temperature physiology occur. This study, led by Odhran O'Sullivan, covers the response of fluorescence and respiration at high temperatures in more than 200 plant species across a wide range of ecosystems and climates, and data for this study was collected at over a dozen field sites. Analysis revealed the plants existing in more temperate regions may be at an even greater risk than tropical systems based on physiological measurements and predicted future climate. Some of the articles are linked below:

Herald Sun 
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/australias-plants-have-little-capacity-left-to-cope-with-hotter-longer-heatwaves-study/news-story/00acb6d12f21cfccac1c6c071c001d17

Sydney Morning Herald: 
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/turning-up-the-heat-to-push-many-australian-plants-to-the-brink-new-study-finds-20160912-greeuo.html

Owen Atkin interviewed by the ABC: 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-14/study-warns-of-tipping-point-for-inland-plants/7843326This week, I've  been guiding the canopy photosynthesis lab for the Semester of Environmental Science at The Ecosystems Center 

This week also marked my second year of leading the photosynthesis lab for the Semester of Environmental Sciences at The Ecosystems Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory. For this week long lab, we went to the field on Monday and measured gas exchange using my old friends the 6400s and fluorescence using a brand new WALZ PAM Jr. The fluorescence aspect of the lab is brand new, and after some background in lecture from Zoe Cardon, I think the students were able to grasp the proportional variation of NPQ, ETR, and quantum yield by measuring a rapid light response curve. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the students will work up their data from the IRGA and PAM measurements, and develop a modeled canopy, where photosynthesis is driven by PAR through the day at two canopy heights. Many of the students are still beginners when organizing and applying data, so this lab helps build concepts of modeling, using error minimization to optimize your model, and applying data they collected to a idealized system. Next week, groups will present their findings. Always a good day when you get to teach about photosynthesis.