Doctor Dushan Kumarathunge
Candidature
Graduated PhD 2019
Thesis title
Predicting the effect of temperature on tree growth
Research Project
Plant metabolic processes are directly affected by the thermal environment in which the plants are growing. Understanding how the effects of temperature on individual physiological processes combine to determine the overall effect on growth is of paramount importance in predicting plant growth responses in future climates. My PhD research is designed with the broad objective of modelling the impact of rising temperatures on plant growth by examining whole-plant eco-physiological responses. It will link temperature dependency of leaf level physiology to whole plant level followed by ecosystem scale. My focus is to understand the key processes contributing to the temperature effect on photosynthesis and growth and improve the temperature –growth relationship currently used in process-based forest growth models. Broadly, my research comprises the following components:
- A synthesis of plant photosynthetic temperature responses:
- Modelling temperature response of growth
- Modelling growth responses of Australian forests across temperature gradient
I use three models, MAESPA; model of canopy radiation interception and photosynthesis, GDAY (Generic Decomposition and Yield); a simple ecosystem model that simulates carbon, nitrogen, and water dynamics at the stand scale and a carbon balance model which utilizes leaf level net photosynthetic rates to allocate daily C assimilate towards biomass production of stems, leaves, fine roots and coarse roots. My fieldwork includes measurement of range of physiological parameters in Whole Tree Chamber (WTC) and glasshouse experiments.
Publications
Kattge J, Bonisch G, Diaz S, Lavorel S, Prentice IC, Leadley P, Tautenhahn S, Werner GDA, Aakala T, Abedi M, Acosta ATR, Adamidis GC, Adamson K, Aiba M, Albert CH, Alcantara JM, Alcazar CC, Aleixo I, Ali H, Amiaud B, Ammer C, Amoroso MM, Anand M, Anderson C, Anten N, Antos J, Apgaua DMG, Ashman TL, Asmara DH, Asner GP, Aspinwall M, Atkin O, Aubin I, Baastrup-Spohr L, Bahalkeh K, Bahn M, Baker T, Baker WJ, Bakker JP, Baldocchi D, Baltzer J, Banerjee A, Baranger A, Barlow J, Barneche DR, Baruch Z, Bastianelli D, Battles J, Bauerle W, Bauters M, Bazzato E, Beckmann M, Beeckman H, Beierkuhnlein C, Bekker R, Belfry G, Belluau M, Beloiu M, Benavides R, Benomar L, Berdugo-Lattke ML, Berenguer E, Bergamin R, Bergmann J, Carlucci MB, Berner L, Bernhardt-Romermann M, Bigler C, Bjorkman AD, Blackman C, Blanco C, Blonder B, Blumenthal D, Bocanegra-Gonzalez KT, Boeckx P, Bohlman S, Bohning-Gaese K, Boisvert-Marsh L, Bond W, Bond-Lamberty B, Boom A, Boonman CCF, Bordin K, Boughton EH, Boukili V, Bowman DMJS, Bravo S, Brendel MR, Broadley MR, Brown KA, Bruelheide H, Brumnich F, Bruun HH, Bruy D, Buchanan SW, Bucher SF, Buchmann N, Buitenwerf R, Bunker DE, Burger J, Burrascano S, Burslem DFRP, Butterfield BJ, Byun C, Marques M, Scalon MC, Caccianiga M, Cadotte M, Cailleret M, Camac J, Camarero JJ, Campany C, Campetella G, Campos JA, Cano-Arboleda L, Canullo R, Carbognani M, Carvalho F, Casanoves F, Castagneyrol B, Catford JA, Cavender-Bares J, Cerabolini BEL, Cervellini M, Chacon-Madrigal E, Chapin K, Chapin FS, Chelli S, Chen SC, Chen AP, Cherubini P, Chianucci F, Choat B, Chung KS, Chytry M, Ciccarelli D, Coll L, Collins CG, Conti L, Coomes D, Cornelissen JHC, Cornwell WK, Corona P, Coyea M, Craine J, Craven D, Cromsigt JPGM, Csecserits A, Cufar K, Cuntz M, da Silva AC, Dahlin KM, Dainese M, Dalke I, Dalle Fratte M, Anh TDL, Danihelka J, Dannoura M, Dawson S, de Beer AJ, De Frutos A, De Long JR, Dechant B, Delagrange S, Delpierre N, Derroire G, Dias AS, Diaz-Toribio MH, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Dobrowolski M, Doktor D, Drevojan P, Dong N, Dransfield J, Dressler S, Duarte L, Ducouret E, Dullinger S, Durka W, Duursma R, Dymova O, E-Vojtko A, Eckstein RL, Ejtehadi H, Elser J, Emilio T, Engemann K, Erfanian MB, Erfmeier A, Esquivel-Muelbert A, Esser G, Estiarte M, Domingues TF, Fagan WF, Fagundez J, Falster DS, Fan Y, Fang JY, Farris E, Fazlioglu F, Feng YH, Fernandez-Mendez F, Ferrara C, Ferreira J, Fidelis A, Finegan B, Firn J, Flowers TJ, Flynn DFB, Fontana V, Forey E, Forgiarini C, Francois L, Frangipani M, Frank D, Frenette-Dussault C, Freschet GT, Fry EL, Fyllas NM, Mazzochini GG, Gachet S, Gallagher R, Ganade G, Ganga F, Garcia-Palacios P, Gargaglione V, Garnier E, Garrido JL, de Gasper AL, Gea-Izquierdo G, Gibson D, Gillison AN, Giroldo A, Glasenhardt MC, Gleason S, Gliesch M, Goldberg E, Goldel B, Gonzalez-Akre E, Gonzalez-Andujar JL, Gonzalez-Melo A, Gonzalez-Robles A, Graae BJ, Granda E, Graves S, Green WA, Gregor T, Gross N, Guerin GR, Gunther A, Gutierrez AG, Haddock L, Haines A, Hall J, Hambuckers A, Han WX, Harrison SP, Hattingh W, Hawes JE, He TH, He PC, Heberling JM, Helm A, Hempel S, Hentschel J, Herault B, Heres AM, Herz K, Heuertz M, Hickler T, Hietz P, Higuchi P, Hipp AL, Hirons A, Hock M, Hogan JA, Holl K, Honnay O, Hornstein D, Hou EQ, Hough-Snee N, Hovstad KA, Ichie T, Igic B, Illa E, Isaac M, Ishihara M, Ivanov L, Ivanova L, Iversen CM, Izquierdo J, Jackson RB, Jackson B, Jactel H, Jagodzinski AM, Jandt U, Jansen S, Jenkins T, Jentsch A, Jespersen JRP, Jiang GF, Johansen JL, Johnson D, Jokela EJ, Joly CA, Jordan GJ, Joseph GS, Junaedi D, Junker RR, Justes E, Kabzems R, Kane J, Kaplan Z, Kattenborn T, Kavelenova L, Kearsley E, Kempel A, Kenzo T, Kerkhoff A, Khalil MI, Kinlock NL, Kissling WD, Kitajima K, Kitzberger T, Kjoller R, Klein T, Kleyer M, Klimesova J, Klipel J, Kloeppel B, Klotz S, Knops JMH, Kohyama T, Koike F, Kollmann J, Komac B, Komatsu K, Konig C, Kraft NJB, Kramer K, Kreft H, Kuhn I, Kumarathunge D, Kuppler J, Kurokawa H, Kurosawa Y, Kuyah S, Laclau JP, Lafleur B, Lallai E, Lamb E, Lamprecht A, Larkin DJ, Laughlin D, Le Bagousse-Pinguet Y, le Maire G, le Roux PC, le Roux E, Lee T, Lens F, Lewis SL, Lhotsky B, Li YZ, Li XE, Lichstein JW, Liebergesell M, Lim JY, Lin YS, Linares JC, Liu CJ, Liu DJ, Liu U, Livingstone S, Llusia J, Lohbeck M, Lopez-Garcia A, Lopez-Gonzalez G, Lososova Z, Louault F, Lukacs BA, Lukes P, Luo YJ, Lussu M, Ma SY, Pereira CMR, Mack M, Maire V, Makela A, Makinen H, Malhado ACM, Mallik A, Manning P, Manzoni S, Marchetti Z, Marchino L, Marcilio-Silva V, Marcon E, Marignani M, Markesteijn L, Martin A, Martinez-Garza C, Martinez-Vilalta J, Maskova T, Mason K, Mason N, Massad TJ, Masse J, Mayrose I, McCarthy J, McCormack ML, McCulloh K, McFadden IR, McGill BJ, McPartland MY, Medeiros JS, Medlyn B, Meerts P, Mehrabi Z, Meir P, Melo FPL, Mencuccini M, Meredieu C, Messier J, Meszaros I, Metsaranta J, Michaletz ST, Michelaki C, Migalina S, Milla R, Miller JED, Minden V, Ming R, Mokany K, Moles AT, Molnar VA, Molofsky J, Molz M, Montgomery RA, Monty A, Moravcova L, Moreno-Martinez A, Moretti M, Mori AS, Mori S, Morris D, Morrison J, Mucina L, Mueller S, Muir CD, Muller SC, Munoz F, Myers-Smith IH, Myster RW, Nagano M, Naidu S, Narayanan A, Natesan B, Negoita L, Nelson AS, Neuschulz EL, Ni J, Niedrist G, Nieto J, Niinemets U, Nolan R, Nottebrock H, Nouvellon Y, Novakovskiy A, Nystuen KO, O'Grady A, O'Hara K, O'Reilly-Nugent A, Oakley S, Oberhuber W, Ohtsuka T, Oliveira R, Ollerer K, Olson ME, Onipchenko V, Onoda Y, Onstein RE, Ordonez JC, Osada N, Ostonen I, Ottaviani G, Otto S, Overbeck GE, Ozinga WA, Pahl AT, Paine CET, Pakeman RJ, Papageorgiou AC, Parfionova E, Partel M, Patacca M, Paula S, Paule J, Pauli H, Pausas JG, Peco B, Penuelas J, Perea A, Peri PL, Petisco-Souza AC, Petraglia A, Petritan AM, Phillips OL, Pierce S, Pillar VD, Pisek J, Pomogaybin A, Poorter H, Portsmuth A, Poschlod P, Potvin C, Pounds D, Powell AS, Power SA, Prinzing A, Puglielli G, Pysek P, Raevel V, Rammig A, Ransijn J, Ray CA, Reich PB, Reichstein M, Reid DEB, Rejou-Mechain M, de Dios VR, Ribeiro S, Richardson S, Riibak K, Rillig MC, Riviera F, Robert EMR, Roberts S, Robroek B, Roddy A, Rodrigues AV, Rogers A, Rollinson E, Rolo V, Romermann C, Ronzhina D, Roscher C, Rosell JA, Rosenfield MF, Rossi C, Roy DB, Royer-Tardif S, Ruger N, Ruiz-Peinado R, Rumpf SB, Rusch GM, Ryo M, Sack L, Saldana A, Salgado-Negret B, Salguero-Gomez R, Santa-Regina I, Santacruz-Garcia AC, Santos J, Sardans J, Schamp B, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schleuning M, Schmid B, Schmidt M, Schmitt S, Schneider JV, Schowanek SD, Schrader J, Schrodt F, Schuldt B, Schurr F, Garvizu GS, Semchenko M, Seymour C, Sfair JC, Sharpe JM, Sheppard CS, Sheremetiev S, Shiodera S, Shipley B, Shovon TA, Siebenkas A, Sierra C, Silva V, Silva M, Sitzia T, Sjoman H, Slot M, Smith NG, Sodhi D, Soltis P, Soltis D, Somers B, Sonnier G, Sorensen MV, Sosinski EE, Soudzilovskaia NA, Souza AF, Spasojevic M, Sperandii MG, Stan AB, Stegen J, Steinbauer K, Stephan JG, Sterck F, Stojanovic DB, Strydom T, Suarez ML, Svenning JC, Svitkova I, Svitok M, Svoboda M, Swaine E, Swenson N, Tabarelli M, Takagi K, Tappeiner U, Tarifa R, Tauugourdeau S, Tavsanoglu C, te Beest M, Tedersoo L, Thiffault N, Thom D, Thomas E, Thompson K, Thornton PE, Thuiller W, Tichy L, Tissue D, Tjoelker MG, Tng DYP, Tobias J, Torok P, Tarin T, Torres-Ruiz JM, Tothmeresz B, Treurnicht M, Trivellone V, Trolliet F, Trotsiuk V, Tsakalos JL, Tsiripidis I, Tysklind N, Umehara T, Usoltsev V, Vadeboncoeur M, Vaezi J, Valladares F, Vamosi J, van Bodegom PM, van Breugel M, Van Cleemput E, van de Weg M, van der Merwe S, van der Plas F, van der Sande MT, van Kleunen M, Van Meerbeek K, Vanderwel M, Vanselow KA, Varhammar A, Varone L, Valderrama MY, Vassilev K, Vellend M, Veneklaas EJ, Verbeeck H, Verheyen K, Vibrans A, Vieira I, Villacis J, Violle C, Vivek P, Wagner K, Waldram M, Waldron A, Walker AP, Waller M, Walther G, Wang H, Wang F, Wang WQ, Watkins H, Watkins J, Weber U, Weedon JT, Wei LP, Weigelt P, Weiher E, Wells AW, Wellstein C, Wenk E, Westoby M, Westwood A, White PJ, Whitten M, Williams M, Winkler DE, Winter K, Womack C, Wright IJ, Wright SJ, Wright J, Pinho BX, Ximenes F, Yamada T, Yamaji K, Yanai R, Yankov N, Yguel B, Zanini KJ, Zanne AE, Zeleny D, Zhao YP, Zheng JM, Zheng J, Zieminska K, Zirbel CR, Zizka G, Zo-Bi IC, Zotz G, Wirth C, (2020) 'TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access', Global Change Biology, vol.26, no.1, pp 119-188
Kumarathunge DP, Medlyn BE, Drake JE, Tjoelker MG, Aspinwall MJ, Battaglia M, Cano FJ, Carter KR, Cavaleri MA, Cernusak LA, Chambers JQ, Crous KY, De Kauwe MG, Dillaway DN, Dreyer E, Ellsworth DS, Ghannoum O, Han QM, Hikosaka K, Jensen AM, Kelly JWG, Kruger EL, Mercado LM, Onoda Y, Reich PB, Rogers A, Slot M, Smith NG, Tarvainen L, Tissue DT, Togashi HF, Tribuzy ES, Uddling J, Varhammar A, Wallin G, Warren JM, Way DA, (2019) 'Acclimation and adaptation components of the temperature dependence of plant photosynthesis at the global scale', New Phytologist, vol.222, no.2, pp 768-784
Yang J, Medlyn BE, De Kauwe MG, Duursma RA, Jiang M, Kumarathunge D, Crous KY, Gimeno TE, Wujeska-Klause A, Ellsworth DS, (2020) 'Low sensitivity of gross primary production to elevated CO2 in a mature eucalypt woodland', Biogeosciences, vol.17, no.2, pp 265-279
Yang J, Duursma RA, De Kauwe MG, Kumarathunge D, Jiang M, Mahmud K, Gimeno TE, Crous KY, Ellsworth DS, Peters J, Choat B, Eamus D, Medlyn BE, (2019) 'Incorporating non-stomatal limitation improves the performance of leaf and canopy models at high vapour pressure deficit', Tree physiology, vol.39, no.12, pp 1961-1974
Drake JE, Tjoelker MG, Varhammar A, Medlyn BE, Reich PB, Leigh A, Pfautsch S, Blackman CJ, Lopez R, Aspinwall MJ, Crous KY, Duursma RA, Kumarathunge D, De Kauwe MG, Jiang M, Nicotra AB, Tissue DT, Choat B, Atkin OK, Barton CVM, (2018) 'Trees tolerate an extreme heatwave via sustained transpirational cooling and increased leaf thermal tolerance', Global Change Biology, vol.24, no.6, pp 2390-2402
Drake JE, Varhammar A, Kumarathunge D, Medlyn BE, Pfautsch S, Reich PB, Tissue DT, Ghannoum O, Tjoelker MG, (2017) 'A common thermal niche among geographically diverse populations of the widely distributed tree species Eucalyptus tereticornis: No evidence for adaptation to climate-of-origin', Global Change Biology, vol.23, no.12, pp 5069-5082
Research Project Supervisors
Professor Belinda Medlyn, Professor Mark Tjoelker and Dr John Drake
