Data from: Soil phosphorus drives subcontinental patterns of carbon-isotope discrimination across Australia
Data files
Mar 17, 2026 version files 242.62 KB
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Analysis_code_combined.R
9.63 KB
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Common_gardens.csv
1.29 KB
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NT_NQ_leaf_data.csv
18.12 KB
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README.md
13.87 KB
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Transects_data.csv
34.77 KB
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Westerband_etal_2023_updated.csv
164.94 KB
Abstract
This data repository contains datasets and analysis code for the paper published in New Phytologist entitled "Soil phosphorus drives subcontinental patterns of carbon-isotope discrimination across Australia". In the article, we analysed stable carbon isotope data for previously published transects, alongside new measurements from a transect in northeastern Queensland, to explore potential drivers of regional-scale sensitivity of carbon isotope discrimination to mean annual precipitation. Based on our analyses, we concluded that higher stomatal conductance in phosphorus-poor regions of Australia appeared to moderate the otherwise well-known decrease in carbon isotope discrimination with decreasing precipitation. We suggested that high transpiration rates in these regions help to facilitate phosphorus foraging in phosphorus-impoverished, ancient soils.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.zgmsbccst
Description of the data and file structure
This data submission contains one R script file, with annotation in the script, and four csv files with multiple data columns in each file.
Files and variables
File: Analysis_code_combined.R
Description: R script with code for conducting the analyses presented in the associated journal article publication in New Phytologist
File: Common_gardens.csv
Description: Data file containing common garden datasets
| Variables | Definitions |
|---|---|
| Study | Study from which data originated; full citations are provided in the New Phytologist publication to which this data submission is associated |
| Species | Tree species |
| Leaf_d13C | Average leaf stable carbon isotope ratio for the species; d13C in per mil versus VPDB |
| Air_d13C | Stable carbon isotope ratio for CO2 in air in the year of data collection; d13C in per mil versus VPDB |
| Discrim_13C | Discrimination against 13C calculated from air and leaf stable carbon isotope ratios in per mil |
| MAP | Mean annual precipitation at the species origin in millimeters |
File: NT_NQ_leaf_data.csv
Description: Data file containing leaf trait data for two northern Australian transects
| Variables | Definitions |
|---|---|
| Leaf_id | Identifier for the data row |
| Transect | Transect identifier |
| Site_num | Site number, based on original publication datasets |
| Site | Site name |
| Species | Species name |
| Leaf_num | Identifier for the leaf number, following original publication |
| MAP | Mean annual precipitation in millimeters |
| LMA_g_m2 | Lea mass per area in grams per square meter of leaf |
| d13C | Leaf stable carbon isotope ratio for the species; d13C in per mil versus VPDB |
| Discrim_13C | Discrimination against 13C calculated from air and leaf stable carbon isotope ratios in per mil |
| C_per | Percent carbon in the leaf dry matter |
| N_per | Percent nitrogen in the leaf dry matter |
| Leaf_P_mg_g | Phosphorus in leaf dry matter in milligrams per gram |
| N_area_mmol_m2 | Leaf nitrogen per unit leaf area in mmoles per square meter |
| P_area_mmol_m2 | Leaf phosphorus per unit leaf area in mmoles per square meter |
| NP_ratio_g_g | Ratio of leaf nitrogen to leaf phosphorus on a mass basis |
| N_area_g_m2 | Leaf nitrogen per unit leaf area in grams per square meter |
| P_area_g_m2 | Leaf phosphorus per unit leaf area in grams per square meter |
File: Transects_data.csv
Description: Data file containing transects data; an entry of NA indicates data not available
| Variables | Definitions |
|---|---|
| Sl | Identifier for data row |
| Site_Code | Site code according to the original publication |
| Lat | Site latitude |
| Long | Site longitude |
| Source | Publication source by first author surname |
| Transect | Name of transect |
| MAP_Wclim | Mean annual precipitation extracted from WorldClim in millimeters |
| MAP_ANUClim | Mean annual precipitation extracted from ANUClim in millimeters |
| MAP_Emast | Mean annual precipitation extracted from EMAST in millimeters |
| MAT_Emast | Mean annual temperature extracted from EMAST in degrees Celsius |
| d13C | Leaf stable carbon isotope ratio for the species; d13C in per mil versus VPDB |
| Year | Year of field data collection |
| d13Ca | Stable carbon isotope ratio for CO2 in air in the year of data collection; d13C in per mil versus VPDB |
| Discrim_13C | Discrimination against 13C calculated from air and leaf stable carbon isotope ratios in per mil |
| AI_Zomer | Aridity Index extracted from Zomer et al. |
| MI_Emast | Moisture Index extracted from EMAST |
| PE_Anuclim | Potential Evapotranspiration extracted from ANUClim in millimeters |
| P_PE_Anuclim | Ratio of annual precipitation to annual potential evapotranspiration extracted from ANUClim |
| Precip_seasonality | Precipitation seasonality |
| Soil_N | Topsoil total nitrogen in tons per hectare |
| Soil_P | Topsoil total phosphorus in tons per hectare |
| LMA | Leaf mass per unit area in grams per square meter |
| SLA | Specific leaf area in square meters per kilogram |
File: Westerband_etal_2023_updated.csv
Description: Updated version of Westerband et al. 2023 dataset, as described in the journal article associated with this data submission. An entry of NA indicates data not available.
| Variables | Definitions |
|---|---|
| Site | Site name |
| Species | Species name |
| Latitude | Site latitude |
| Longitude | Site longitude |
| Reference.s. | Source of data |
| Asat_area_micromol.m2.s | Net photosynthesis expressed in micromoles per square meter per second |
| gsw_mmol.m2.s | Stomatal conductance expressed in millimoles per square meter per second |
| CiCa | Ratio of intercellular to ambient carbon dioxide concentrations |
| Vcmax25_micromol.m2.s | Maximum carboxylation velocity of Rubisco normalised to 25°C in micromoles per square meter per second |
| LMA_g.m2 | Leaf mass per unit area in grams per square meter |
| LeafN_area_g.m2 | Leaf nitrogen per unit leaf area in grams per square meter |
| LeafP_area_g.m2 | Leaf phosphorus per unit leaf area in grams per square meter |
| MAP | Mean annual precipitation in millimeters |
| MAT | Mean annual temperature in degrees Celsius |
| Soil_N_th | Topsoil total nitrogen in tons per hectare |
| Soil_P_th | Topsoil total phosphorus in tons per hectare |
Code/software
The R script associated with this data submission was constructed using R version 4.4.2 (R Core Team, 2024). The following packages are used in the script, in addition to base R:
library(car) # for regression diagnostics
library(effectsize) # for regression diagnostics
library(sjPlot) # for outputs
library(knitr) # for kable
library(effects) # for partial effects plots
library(ggeffects) # for prediction plots
library(emmeans) # for estimating marginal means
library(glmmTMB) # for glmmTMB
library(tidyverse) # for data wrangling
library(broom)# for data wrangling
library(DHARMa) # for assessing dispersion etc
library(performance) # for diagnostic plots
library(patchwork) # for multiple plots
library(GGally) # for correlation plots
library(report) # for model summary info
library(ggpubr) # for plotting
library(ggsignif) # for plotting
library(MetBrewer) # for colour palettes
library(wesanderson) # for colour palettes
library(visreg) # for partial regressions
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- Westerband et al. 2023: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j9kd51cgr
Data was derived from the following sources:
- Cernusak LA. 2020. Gas exchange and water-use efficiency in plant canopies. Plant Biology 22 (Suppl. 1): 52-67.
- Cernusak LA, Hutley LB, Beringer J, Holtum JAM, Turner BL. 2011a. Photosynthetic physiology of eucalypts along a sub-continental rainfall gradient in northern Australia. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 151: 1462-1470.
- Cernusak LA, Ubierna N. 2022. Carbon isotope effects in relation to CO2 assimilation by tree canopies. In: Siegwolf RTW, Brooks JR, Roden J, Saurer M eds. Stable Isotopes in Tree Rings: Inferring Physiological, Climatic and Environmental Responses. Cham: Springer International Publishing,**** 291-310.
- Cheesman AW, Cernusak LA. 2017. Infidelity in the outback: climate signal recorded in Δ18O of leaf but not branch cellulose of eucalypts across an Australian aridity gradient. Tree Physiology 37: 554-564.
- Givnish TJ, Wong SC, Stuart-Williams H, Holloway-Phillips M, Farquhar GD. 2014. Determinants of maximum tree height in Eucalyptus species along a rainfall gradient in Victoria, Australia. Ecology 95: 2991-3007.
- Miller JM, Williams RJ, Farquhar GD. 2001. Carbon isotope discrimination by a sequence of Eucalyptus species along a subcontinental rainfall gradient in Australia. Functional Ecology 15: 222-232.
- Schulze E-D, Williams RJ, Farquhar GD, Schulze W, Langridge J, Miller JM, Walker BH. 1998. Carbon and nitrogen isotope discrimination and nitrogen nutrition of trees along a rainfall gradient in northern Australia. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 25: 413-425.
- Stewart GR, Turnbull MH, Schmidt S, Erskine PD. 1995. 13C natural abundance in plant communities along a rainfall gradient: a biological integrator of water availability. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 22: 51-55.
- Westerband AC, Wright IJ, Maire V, Paillassa J, Prentice IC, Atkin OK, Bloomfield KJ, Cernusak LA, Dong N, Gleason SMet al. 2023. Coordination of photosynthetic traits across soil and climate gradients. Global Change Biology 29: 856-873.