Reporting estimates of maximum potential electron transport rate

Abstract

The C3 photosynthesis model of Farquhar, von Caemmerer & Berry (1980) is widely used to predict CO2 exchange and inform ecophysiological research. Users typically estimate the model’s parameters by fitting it to response curves – a process fraught with potential errors and ambiguities (Long&Bernacchi, 2003; Dubois et al., 2007; Flexas et al., 2007; Rodeghiero et al., 2007; Sharkey et al., 2007; Kattge et al., 2009; Miao et al., 2009; Pons et al., 2009; Guet al., 2010; Gilbert et al., 2012; Tholen et al., 2012). This letter concerns a widespread but simple ambiguity in photosynthetic parameter estimation that has largely eluded attention.