Disentangling the Control of Canopy Structure and Plant Physiology on the Diurnal Dynamics of SIF and Photosynthesis

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) offers a promising tool to remotely monitor photosynthesis from the canopy to regional scale. However, in order to interpret instantaneous satellite SIF measurements in a biological context, there needs to be a better understanding of the diurnal dynamics of SIF and photosynthesis. Using two maize sites with contrasting row orientations, we acquired canopy scale SIF and hyperspectral reflectance using a tower and UAV, in conjunction with concurrent leaf-level measurements of photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence. We show that SIF dynamics are impacted by a combination of canopy structure and plant physiology, which can lead to a divergent SIF-photosynthesis relationship, particularly at certain times of day. These findings have significant implications for upscaling and interpreting satellite SIF retrievals, which rely on daily mean integrals.