Data from: Leaf development and demography explain photosynthetic seasonality in Amazon evergreen forests

In evergreen tropical forests, the extent, magnitude, and controls on
photosynthetic seasonality are poorly resolved and inadequately
represented in Earth system models. Combining camera observations with
ecosystem carbon dioxide fluxes at forests across rainfall gradients in
Amazônia, we show that aggregate canopy phenology, not seasonality of
climate drivers, is the primary cause of photosynthetic seasonality in
these forests. Specifically, synchronization of new leaf growth with dry
season litterfall shifts canopy composition toward younger, more light-use
efficient leaves, explaining large seasonal increases (~27%) in ecosystem
photosynthesis. Coordinated leaf development and demography thus reconcile
seemingly disparate observations at different scales and indicate that
accounting for leaf-level phenology is critical for accurately simulating
ecosystem-scale responses to climate change.