Effect of elevated CO2 on the stomatal distribution and leaf physiology of Alnus glutinosa |
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| Authors: | I POOLE T LAWSON J D B WEYERS & J A RAVEN |
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| Institution: | Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK; Author for correspondence. Present address: School of Earth Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. Present address: Department of Biology, John Tabor Laboratories, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK (tel +44 1206 873306;fax +44 1206 873416;e-mail ). |
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| Abstract: | Variation in stomatal development and physiology of mature leaves from Alnus glutinosa plants grown under reference (current ambient, 360 μmol mol?1 CO2) and double ambient (720 μmol mol?1 CO2) carbon dioxide (CO2) mole fractions is assessed in terms of relative plant growth, stomatal characters (i.e. stomatal index and density) and leaf photosynthetic characters. This is the first study to consider the effects of elevated CO2 concentration on the distribution of stomata and epidermal cells across the whole leaf and to try to ascertain the cause of intraleaf variation. In general, a doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration enhanced plant growth and significantly increased stomatal index. However, there was no significant change in relative stomatal density. Under elevated CO2 concentration there was a significant decrease in stomatal conductance and an increase in assimilation rate. However, no significant differences were found for the maximum rate of carboxylation ( V cmax) and the light saturated rate of electron transport ( J max) between the control and elevated CO2 treatment. |
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| Keywords: | Alnus stomatal index stomatal density carbon dioxide conductance photosynthesis variation |
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