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Why are there no C4 forests?

Rowan F Sage1, Stefanie Sultmanis1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S3B2, Canada.

Journal of Plant Physiology
|August 3, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Few trees use C4 photosynthesis due to evolutionary constraints, not light limitations. This limits forest expansion, as C4 grasses and specialized eudicots are not suited for tree growth.

Area of Science:

  • Plant physiology and evolutionary biology
  • Photosynthetic pathways and plant form

Background:

  • C4 photosynthesis is rare in trees, unlike C3 photosynthesis, impacting forest ecosystems.
  • The absence of C4 trees limits potential forest cover and associated biosphere consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the reasons behind the scarcity of C4 trees.
  • To evaluate physiological versus evolutionary explanations for the lack of arborescent C4 species.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of C3 and C4 species' physiological performance in low light.
  • Examination of the evolutionary history and ecological specializations of C4 lineages.

Main Results:

  • Physiological performance in low light does not explain the absence of C4 trees; shade-tolerant C3 and C4 species perform similarly.
Keywords:
C(4) photosynthesisFireQuantum yieldSavannaShade adaptationVascular cambiumWoodlands

Related Experiment Videos

  • Evolutionary constraints are more plausible: most C4 species are grasses/sedges lacking tree-forming meristems.
  • Many C4 eudicots are adapted to extreme environments where arborescence is disadvantageous, and their lineages are evolutionarily young.

    • Conclusions:

    • The lack of C4 trees is primarily due to evolutionary history and ecological specialization, not photosynthetic limitations.
    • The Hawaiian Euphorbia are an exception, originating from an ancient C4 lineage in a low-competition environment.
    • Understanding these constraints is key to comprehending global forest distribution and C4 plant evolution.