Mirror image molecules expose state of rainforest stress
Abstract Monoterpenes are key to plant communication and defence against biotic (e.g., herbivory) and abiotic (e.g., heat, drought) stress. Chiral monoterpenes, like alpha-pinene, exist as mirror image pairs, known as enantiomers. Enantiomers have the same atmospheric reactivity, but are produced and emitted by different enzymes and internal leaf mechanisms. Abiotic stress can alter their relative emissions, suggesting enantiomer ratios could indicate stress severity. Here we present (−)- and (+)-alpha-pinene and methyl salicylate measurements from the Amazon rainforest over time-of-day, season, and the 2023-24 El Niño. Correlations between alpha-pinene enantiomers shifted with stress, aligning with weakening carbon dioxide uptake by vegetation and transition between de novo and storage emissions. Low- and high-stress zones, along with a recovery zone, were defined through alpha-pinene enantiomer correlations, revealing a metric for ecosystem stress. This chiral ratio reveals diel, seasonal, El Niño, and edge effect stresses, offering a method to gauge drought severity due to climate change.
Authors
- Efstratios Bourtsoukidis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5578-9414)
- Eliane Gomes Alves (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5245-1952)
- Achim Edtbauer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8824-2132)
- Hartwig Harder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6868-714X)
- Anywhere Tsokankunku (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0023-7687)
- Cléo Quaresma Dias‐Júnior (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4783-4689)
- Jonathan Williams (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9421-1703)
- Jos Lelieveld (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6307-3846)
- Michelle Robin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2280-9436)
- Giovanni Pugliese (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2869-3588)
- Carolina Monteiro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5131-2440)
- Nora Zannoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2721-5362)
- Bianca Krumm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1472-7465)
- S. Christoph Hartmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9116-2261)
- Joseph Byron (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9452-0186)
- Carlos A. Quesada
- Johanna Schuettler
Institutions
- Cyprus Institute (CY)
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (BR)
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (IT)
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará (BR)
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (DE)
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Earth & Environment
- Published
- 2025-08-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02709-z
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.30
Funders
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia