Sari Palmroth | Scholars@Duke

Sari Palmroth
Associate Research Professor in the Division of Environmental Science and Policy

Dr. Palmroth's research focuses on the effects of resource availability and climatic variability on carbon uptake and allocation of individual shoots, trees and forest ecosystems. She studies ecophysiological processes in trees from leaf to stand scales, with special emphasis on conifers. In particular, Dr. Palmroth is interested in the radiative transfer in forest canopies, how the radiation regime is affected by conifer shoot structure, and what the feedbacks are between availability of solar energy and allocation on carbon and nitrogen within canopies. She is also interested in how the carbon fixed in photosynthesis is allocated between above and belowground pools and what are the possible interaction effects on the allocation of the availabilities of nutrients and water and the level of atmospheric [CO2].

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Research Professor in the Division of Environmental Science and Policy, Environmental Sciences and Policy, Nicholas School of the Environment 2013

Contact Information

A233A Lev Sci Res Ctr, Durham, NC 27708
Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708-0328
sari.palmroth@duke.edu (919) 613-8089

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of Helsinki (Finland) 2000
- M.S., University of Helsinki (Finland) 1994
Duke Appointment History
- Assist Research Professor, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University 2010 - 2013
- Assistant Research Professor of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Environmental Sciences and Policy, Nicholas School of the Environment 2006 - 2009
Recognition
In the News
- APR 24, 2018 Nicholas School of the Environment
  
  Keeping the Land in the Family
Expertise
Global Scholarship
- Research
  - Sweden (Country)
  - United States of America (Country)
Research
Selected Grants
- Human and Natural Forcings of Critical Zone Dynamics and Evolution at the Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory awarded by National Science Foundation 2013 - 2018
- Constraining the Simultaneous Effects of Elevated CO2, Temperature, and Shifts in Rainfall Patterns on Ecosystme Carbon awarded by Department of Energy 2011 - 2016
- Duke Forest FACE Experiment: Forest-Atmosphere Carbon Transfer and Storage awarded by Department of Energy 2001 - 2015
- How will the Interaction Between Roots and Canopy Physiological Functioning at Night Influence Water and Carbon Fluxes awarded by North Carolina State University 2011 - 2015
- Hydraulic Controls on Carbon Cycling and Water Exchange Rates of Southern Conifers awarded by Department of Agriculture 2011 - 2015
- Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on Carbon Cycling and Sequestration Under Current and Elevated Atmospheric CO2 awarded by Forest Service 2009 - 2012
- A Proposed Southeastern Regional Center of the National Institute of Climate Change: Research at Duke University awarded by Department of Energy 2005 - 2011
- De-convolving the Effects of Rising Atmospheric CO2, Solar Dimming, and Afforestation awarded by National Science Foundation 2006 - 2010
- Controls of Net Ecosystem Exchange at an Old Field, a Pine Plantation, and a Hardwood Forest Under Identical Climatic an awarded by Department of Energy 2000 - 2009
- STIR - Field Testing of the HOP LIDAR awarded by Army Research Office 2008 - 2009
- Reducing Uncertainty in Current and Projected Carbon Sequestration in Southeastern U.S.: Phase VI awarded by Forest Service 2004 - 2005
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Wang, N, Palmroth, S, Maier, CA, Domec, J-C, and Oren, R. "Anatomical changes with needle length are correlated with leaf structural and physiological traits across five Pinus species." Plant, Cell & Environment (January 26, 2019). Full Text
  - Yin, C, Palmroth, S, Pang, X, Tang, B, Liu, Q, and Oren, R. "Differential responses of Picea asperata and Betula albosinensis to nitrogen supply imposed by water availability." Tree Physiology 38, no. 11 (November 2018): 1694-1705. Full Text
  - Ward, EJ, Oren, R, Seok Kim, H, Kim, D, Tor-Ngern, P, Ewers, BE, McCarthy, HR, Oishi, AC, Pataki, DE, Palmroth, S, Phillips, NG, and Schäfer, KVR. "Evapotranspiration and water yield of a pine-broadleaf forest are not altered by long-term atmospheric [CO2 ] enrichment under native or enhanced soil fertility." Global Change Biology 24, no. 10 (October 2018): 4841-4856. Full Text
  - Huang, CW, Domec, JC, Palmroth, S, Pockman, WT, Litvak, ME, and Katul, GG. "Transport in a coordinated soil-root-xylem-phloem leaf system." Advances in Water Resources 119 (September 1, 2018): 1-16. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Tor-ngern, P, Oren, R, Palmroth, S, Novick, K, Oishi, A, Linder, S, Ottosson-Löfvenius, M, and Näsholm, T. "Water balance of pine forests: Synthesis of new and published results." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 259 (September 2018): 107-117. Full Text
  - Kurjak, D, Konôpková, A, Kmeť, J, Macková, M, Frýdl, J, Živčák, M, Palmroth, S, Ditmarová, Ľ, and Gömöry, D. "Variation in the performance and thermostability of photosystem II in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances is influenced more by acclimation than by adaptation(Accepted)." European Journal of Forest Research (January 1, 2018). Full Text
  - Kim, D, Oren, R, Clark, JS, Palmroth, S, Oishi, AC, McCarthy, HR, Maier, CA, and Johnsen, K. "Dynamics of soil CO2 efflux under varying atmospheric CO2 concentrations reveal dominance of slow processes." Global change biology 23, no. 9 (September 2017): 3501-3512. Full Text
  - Metcalfe, DB, Ricciuto, D, Palmroth, S, Campbell, C, Hurry, V, Mao, J, Keel, SG, Linder, S, Shi, X, Näsholm, T, Ohlsson, KEA, Blackburn, M, Thornton, PE, and Oren, R. "Informing climate models with rapid chamber measurements of forest carbon uptake." Global change biology 23, no. 5 (May 2017): 2130-2139. Full Text
  - Franklin, O, Cambui, CA, Gruffman, L, Palmroth, S, Oren, R, and Näsholm, T. "The carbon bonus of organic nitrogen enhances nitrogen use efficiency of plants." Plant, Cell & Environment 40, no. 1 (January 2017): 25-35. Full Text
  - Paschalis, A, Danielle Way, , Gabriel G. Katul, , Sari Palmroth, , and Simone Fatichi, . "On the variability of the ecosystem response to elevated atmospheric CO2 across spatial and temporal scales at the Duke Forest FACE experiment." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 232 (January 2017): 367-383. Full Text
  - Tor-Ngern, P, Oren, R, Oishi, AC, Uebelherr, JM, Palmroth, S, Tarvainen, L, Ottosson-Löfvenius, M, Linder, S, Domec, J-C, and Näsholm, T. "Ecophysiological variation of transpiration of pine forests: synthesis of new and published results." Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America 27, no. 1 (January 2017): 118-133. Full Text
  - Johnson, DM, Wortemann, R, McCulloh, KA, Jordan-Meille, L, Ward, E, Warren, JM, Palmroth, S, and Domec, J-C. "A test of the hydraulic vulnerability segmentation hypothesis in angiosperm and conifer tree species." Tree Physiology 36, no. 8 (August 2016): 983-993. Full Text
  - Huang, CW, Chu, CR, Hsieh, CI, Palmroth, S, and Katul, GG. "Wind-induced leaf transpiration." Advances in Water Resources 86 (December 1, 2015): 240-255. Full Text
  - Henriksson, N, Tarvainen, L, Lim, H, Tor-Ngern, P, Palmroth, S, Oren, R, Marshall, J, and Näsholm, T. "Stem compression reversibly reduces phloem transport in Pinus sylvestris trees." Tree physiology 35, no. 10 (October 2015): 1075-1085. Full Text
  - Lim, H, Oren, R, Palmroth, S, Tor-ngern, P, Mörling, T, Näsholm, T, Lundmark, T, Helmisaari, HS, Leppälammi-Kujansuu, J, and Linder, S. "Inter-annual variability of precipitation constrains the production response of boreal Pinus sylvestris to nitrogen fertilization." Forest Ecology and Management 348 (July 5, 2015): 31-45. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Domec, JC, King, JS, Ward, E, Christopher Oishi, A, Palmroth, S, Radecki, A, Bell, DM, Miao, G, Gavazzi, M, Johnson, DM, McNulty, SG, Sun, G, and Noormets, A. "Conversion of natural forests to managed forest plantations decreases tree resistance to prolonged droughts." Forest Ecology and Management 355 (January 1, 2015): 58-71. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Tor-ngern, P, Oren, R, Ward, EJ, Palmroth, S, McCarthy, HR, and Domec, J-C. "Increases in atmospheric CO2 have little influence on transpiration of a temperate forest canopy." The New Phytologist 205, no. 2 (January 2015): 518-525. Full Text
  - Franklin, O, Palmroth, S, and Näsholm, T. "How eco-evolutionary principles can guide tree breeding and tree biotechnology for enhanced productivity." Tree Physiology 34, no. 11 (November 2014): 1149-1166. Full Text
  - Näsholm, T, Palmroth, S, Ganeteg, U, Moshelion, M, Hurry, V, and Franklin, O. "Genetics of superior growth traits in trees are being mapped but will the faster-growing risk-takers make it in the wild?." Tree Physiology 34, no. 11 (November 2014): 1141-1148. Full Text
  - Palmroth, S, Bach, LH, Nordin, A, and Palmqvist, K. "Nitrogen-addition effects on leaf traits and photosynthetic carbon gain of boreal forest understory shrubs." Oecologia 175, no. 2 (June 2014): 457-470. Full Text
  - Oishi, AC, Palmroth, S, Johnsen, KH, McCarthy, HR, and Oren, R. "Sustained effects of atmospheric [CO2] and nitrogen availability on forest soil CO2 efflux." Glob Chang Biol 20, no. 4 (April 2014): 1146-1160. Full Text Link to Item
  - Gao, Q, Hasselquist, NJ, Palmroth, S, Zheng, Z, and You, W. "Short-term response of soil respiration to nitrogen fertilization in a subtropical evergreen forest." Soil Biology and Biochemistry 76 (January 1, 2014): 297-300. Full Text
  - Manzoni, S, Vico, G, Katul, G, Palmroth, S, and Porporato, A. "Optimal plant water-use strategies under stochastic rainfall." Water Resources Research 50, no. 7 (January 1, 2014): 5379-5394. Full Text
  - Oishi, AC, Palmroth, S, Johnsen, KH, Mccarthy, HR, and Oren, R. "Sustained effects of atmospheric [CO2] and nitrogen availability on forest soil CO2 efflux." Global Change Biology 20, no. 4 (2014): 1146-1160.
  - Manzoni, S, Vico, G, Palmroth, S, Porporato, A, and Katul, G. "Optimization of stomatal conductance for maximum carbon gain under dynamic soil moisture." Advances in Water Resources 62, no. PA (December 1, 2013): 90-105. Full Text
  - Gruffman, L, Palmroth, S, and Näsholm, T. "Organic nitrogen uptake of Scots pine seedlings is independent of current carbohydrate supply." Tree Physiology 33, no. 6 (June 2013): 590-600. Full Text
  - Manzoni, S, Vico, G, Katul, G, Palmroth, S, Jackson, RB, and Porporato, A. "Hydraulic limits on maximum plant transpiration and the emergence of the safety-efficiency trade-off." New Phytol 198, no. 1 (April 2013): 169-178. Full Text Link to Item
  - Palmroth, S, Katul, GG, Maier, CA, Ward, E, Manzoni, S, and Vico, G. "On the complementary relationship between marginal nitrogen and water-use efficiencies among Pinus taeda leaves grown under ambient and CO2-enriched environments." Annals of Botany 111, no. 3 (March 2013): 467-477. Full Text
  - Oishi, AC, Palmroth, S, Butnor, JR, Johnsen, KH, and Oren, R. "Spatial and temporal variability of soil CO2 efflux in three proximate temperate forest ecosystems." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 171-172 (February 28, 2013): 256-269. Full Text
  - Vico, G, Manzoni, S, Palmroth, S, Weih, M, and Katul, G. "A perspective on optimal leaf stomatal conductance under CO₂ and light co-limitations." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 182-183 (2013): 191-199. Full Text
  - Porcar-Castell, A, and Palmroth, S. "Modelling photosynthesis in highly dynamic environments: the case of sunflecks." Tree Physiol 32, no. 9 (September 2012): 1062-1065. Full Text Link to Item
  - Detto, M, Molini, A, Katul, G, Stoy, P, Palmroth, S, and Baldocchi, D. "Causality and persistence in ecological systems: a nonparametric spectral granger causality approach." Am Nat 179, no. 4 (April 2012): 524-535. Full Text Link to Item
  - Ellsworth, DS, Thomas, R, Crous, KY, Palmroth, S, Ward, E, Maier, C, Delucia, E, and Oren, R. "Elevated CO 2 affects photosynthetic responses in canopy pine and subcanopy deciduous trees over 10 years: A synthesis from Duke FACE." Global Change Biology 18, no. 1 (January 1, 2012): 223-242. Full Text
  - Vico, G, Manzoni, S, Palmroth, S, and Katul, G. "Effects of stomatal delays on the economics of leaf gas exchange under intermittent light regimes." The New Phytologist 192, no. 3 (November 2011): 640-652. Full Text
  - Bertin, S, Palmroth, S, Kim, HS, Perks, MP, Mencuccini, M, and Oren, R. "Modelling understorey light for seedling regeneration in continuous cover forestry canopies." Forestry 84, no. 4 (October 1, 2011): 397-409. Full Text
  - Manzoni, S, Vico, G, Katul, G, Fay, PA, Polley, W, Palmroth, S, and Porporato, A. "Optimizing stomatal conductance for maximum carbon gain under water stress: a meta-analysis across plant functional types and climates." Functional Ecology. 25, no. 3 (June 2011): 456-467. Full Text
  - Drake, JE, Gallet-Budynek, A, Hofmockel, KS, Bernhardt, ES, Billings, SA, Jackson, RB, Johnsen, KS, Lichter, J, McCarthy, HR, McCormack, ML, Moore, DJP, Oren, R, Palmroth, S, Phillips, RP, Pippen, JS, Pritchard, SG, Treseder, KK, Schlesinger, WH, Delucia, EH, and Finzi, AC. "Increases in the flux of carbon belowground stimulate nitrogen uptake and sustain the long-term enhancement of forest productivity under elevated CO₂." Ecology Letters 14, no. 4 (April 2011): 349-357. Full Text
  - Kim, H-S, Palmroth, S, Thérézien, M, Stenberg, P, and Oren, R. "Analysis of the sensitivity of absorbed light and incident light profile to various canopy architecture and stand conditions." Tree Physiol 31, no. 1 (January 2011): 30-47. Full Text Link to Item
  - Manzoni, S, Vico, G, Katul, GG, Fay, PA, Polley, HW, Palmroth, S, and Porporato, A. "Economics of leaf gas exchange under water stress." Functional Ecology (2011). (Academic Article)
  - Palmroth, S, Katul, GG, Hui, D, McCarthy, HR, Jackson, RB, and Oren, R. "Estimation of long-term basin scale evapotranspiration from streamflow time series." Water Resources Research 46, no. 10 (October 29, 2010). Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Oishi, AC, Oren, R, Novick, KA, Palmroth, S, and Katul, GG. "Interannual Invariability of Forest Evapotranspiration and Its Consequence to Water Flow Downstream." Ecosystems (New York, N.Y.) 13, no. 3 (April 2010): 421-436. Full Text
  - Katul, G, Manzoni, S, Palmroth, S, and Oren, R. "A stomatal optimization theory to describe the effects of atmospheric CO2 on leaf photosynthesis and transpiration." Annals of Botany 105, no. 3 (March 2010): 431-442. Full Text
  - Ditmarová, L, Kurjak, D, Palmroth, S, Kmet, J, and Strelcová, K. "Physiological responses of Norway spruce (Picea abies) seedlings to drought stress." Tree Physiol 30, no. 2 (February 2010): 205-213. Full Text Link to Item
  - Domec, J-C, Palmroth, S, Ward, E, Maier, CA, Thérézien, M, and Oren, R. "Acclimation of leaf hydraulic conductance and stomatal conductance of Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) to long-term growth in elevated CO(2) (free-air CO(2) enrichment) and N-fertilization." Plant, Cell & Environment 32, no. 11 (November 2009): 1500-1512. Full Text
  - Katul, GG, Palmroth, S, and Oren, R. "Leaf stomatal responses to vapour pressure deficit under current and CO(2)-enriched atmosphere explained by the economics of gas exchange." Plant, Cell & Environment 32, no. 8 (August 2009): 968-979. Full Text
  - Daly, E, Palmroth, S, Stoy, P, Siqueira, M, Oishi, AC, Juang, J-Y, Oren, R, Porporato, A, and Katul, GG. "The effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ and nitrogen amendments on subsurface CO₂ production and concentration dynamics in a maturing pine forest." Biogeochemistry 94, no. 3 (2009): 271-287. Full Text
  - Maier, CA, Palmroth, S, and Ward, E. "Short-term effects of fertilization on photosynthesis and leaf morphology of field-grown loblolly pine following long-term exposure to elevated CO(2) concentration." Tree Physiol 28, no. 4 (April 2008): 597-606. Link to Item
  - Maier, CA, Palmroth, S, and Ward, E. "Short-term effects of fertilization onphotosynthesis and leaf morphology of field-grown loblolly pine following long-term exposure to elevated CO2." Tree Physiology 28 (2008): 557-606. (Academic Article)
  - Thérézien, M, Palmroth, S, Brady, R, and Oren, R. "Estimation of light interception properties of conifer shoots by an improved photographic method and a 3D model of shoot structure." Tree Physiol 27, no. 10 (October 2007): 1375-1387. Link to Item
  - Stoy, PC, Palmroth, S, Oishi, AC, Siqueira, MBS, Juang, J-Y, Novick, KA, Ward, EJ, Katul, GG, and Oren, R. "Are ecosystem carbon inputs and outputs coupled at short time scales? A case study from adjacent pine and hardwood forests using impulse-response analysis." Plant Cell Environ 30, no. 6 (June 2007): 700-710. Full Text Link to Item
  - Palmroth, S, Oren, R, McCarthy, HR, Johnsen, KH, Finzi, AC, Butnor, JR, Ryan, MG, and Schlesinger, WH. "Aboveground sink strength in forests controls the allocation of carbon below ground and its [CO2]-induced enhancement." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103, no. 51 (December 19, 2006): 19362-19367. Full Text Link to Item
  - Juang, J-Y, Katul, GG, Siqueira, MBS, Stoy, PC, Palmroth, S, McCarthy, HR, Kim, H-S, and Oren, R. "Modeling nighttime ecosystem respiration from measured CO2concentration and air temperature profiles using inverse methods." Journal of Geophysical Research 111, no. D8 (2006). Full Text
  - Berninger, F, Coll, L, Vanninen, P, Mäkelä, A, Palmroth, S, and Nikinmaa, E. "Effects of tree size and position on pipe model ratios in Scots pine." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35, no. 6 (June 1, 2005): 1294-1304. Full Text
  - Palmroth, S, Maier, CA, McCarthy, HR, Oishi, AC, Kim, HS, Johnsen, KH, Katul, GG, and Oren, R. "Contrasting responses to drought of forest floor CO₂ efflux in a loblolly pine plantation and a nearby oak-hickory forest." Global Change Biology 11, no. 3 (March 2005): 421-434. Full Text
  - Palmroth, S, Stenberg, P, Smolander, S, Voipio, P, and Smolander, H. "Fertilization has little effect on light-interception efficiency of Picea abies shoots." Tree Physiol 22, no. 15-16 (November 2002): 1185-1192. Link to Item
  - Stenberg, P, Palmroth, S, Bond, BJ, Sprugel, DG, and Smolander, H. "Shoot structure and photosynthetic efficiency along the light gradient in a Scots pine canopy." Tree Physiol 21, no. 12-13 (August 2001): 805-814. Link to Item
  - Palva, L, Markkanen, T, Siivola, E, Garam, E, Linnavuo, M, Nevas, S, Manoochehri, F, Palmroth, S, Rajala, K, Ruotoistenmäki, H, Vuorivirta, T, Seppälä, I, Vesala, T, Hari, P, and Sepponen, R. "Tree scale distributed multipoint measuring system of photosynthetically active radiation." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 106, no. 1 (January 6, 2001): 71-80. Full Text
  - Palmroth, S, and Hari, P. "Evaluation of the importance of acclimation of needle structure, photosynthesis, and respiration to available photosynthetically active radiation in a Scots pine canopy." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 31, no. 7 (January 1, 2001): 1235-1243. Full Text
  - Vesala, T, Markkanen, T, Palva, L, Siivola, E, Palmroth, S, and Hari, P. "Effect of variations of PAR on CO2exchange estimation for Scots pine." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 100, no. 4 (February 25, 2000): 337-347. Full Text
  - Palmroth, S, Palva, L, Stenberg, P, and Kotisaari, A. "Fine scale measurement and simulation of penumbral radiation formed by a pine shoot." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 95, no. 1 (May 31, 1999): 15-25. Full Text
  - Palmroth, S, Berninger, F, Nikinmaa, E, Lloyd, J, Pulkkinen, P, and Hari, P. "Structural adaptation rather than water conservation was observed in Scots pine over a range of wet to dry climates." Oecologia 121, no. 3 (1999): 302-309. Full Text
  - Palva, L, Garam, E, Palmroth, S, Sepponen, R, and Hari, P. "Utilizing a multipoint measuring system of photosynthetically active radiation in photosynthetic studies within canopies." Silva Fennica 32, no. 4 (December 1, 1998): 311-319.
  - Ahonen, T, Aalto, P, Rannik, U, Kulmala, M, Nilsson, ED, Palmroth, S, Ylitalo, H, and Hari, P. "Variations and vertical profiles of trace gas and aerosol concentrations and CO2exchange in eastern Lapland." Atmospheric Environment 31, no. 20 (October 1, 1997): 3351-3362. Full Text
  - Mäkelä, JM, Aalto, P, Jokinen, V, Pohja, T, Nissinen, A, Palmroth, S, Markkanen, T, Seitsonen, K, Lihavainen, H, and Kulmala, M. "Observations of ultrafine aerosol particle formation and growth in boreal forest." Geophysical Research Letters 24, no. 10 (January 1, 1997): 1219-1222. Full Text
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