MuSCA: a multi-scale source–sink carbon allocation model to explore carbon allocation in plants. An application to static apple tree structures
2019
Background and aims :
Carbon allocation in plants is usually represented at a topological scale, specific to each model. This makes the results obtained by different models, and the impact of their scales of representation, difficult to compare. In this study, we developed a Multi Scale Carbon Allocation model (MuSCA) that allows using different, user-defined, topological scales of a plant, and assessing the impact of each spatial scale on simulated results and computation time.
Methods :
Model multi-scale consistency and behavior were tested on three realistic apple tree structures. Carbon allocation was computed at five scales, spanning from the metamer (the finest scale, used as a reference) up to 1st order branches, and for different values of a sap friction coefficient. Fruit dry mass increments were compared across spatial scales and with field data.
Key Results :
The model was able to represent effects of competition for carbon assimilates on fruit growth. Intermediate friction parameter values provided results that best fitted field data. Fruit growth simulated at the metamer scale differed from about 1% at growth unit scale up to 60% at first order branch and fruiting unit scales. Generally, the coarser the spatial scale the more predicted fruit growth diverged from the reference. Coherence in fruit growth across scales was also differentially impacted, depending on the tree structure considered. Decreasing the topological resolution reduced computation time by up to four orders of magnitude.
Conclusions :
MuSCA revealed that the topological scale has a major influence on the simulation of carbon allocation. This suggests that the scale should be a factor which is carefully evaluated when using a carbon allocation model, or when comparing results produced by different models. Finally, with MuSCA, trades-off between computation time and prediction accuracy can be evaluated by changing topological scales.
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