Is Partitioning of Dry Weight and Leaf Area Within Dactylis glomerata Affected by N and CO2Enrichment?

We examined changes in dry weight and leaf area within Dactylisglomerata L. plants using allometric analysis to determine whetherobserved patterns were truly affected by [CO₂] and N supplyor merely reflect ontogenetic drift. Plants were grown hydroponicallyat four concentrations of in controlled environment cabinets at ambient (360 µll^–1) or elevated (680 µl l^–1) atmospheric[CO₂]. Both CO₂and N enrichment stimulated net dry matter production.Allometric analyses revealed that [CO₂] did not affect partitioningof dry matter between shoot and root at high N supply. However,at low N supply there was a transient increase in dry matterpartitioning into the shoot at elevated compared to ambient[CO₂] during early stages of growth, which is inconsistent withpredictions based on optimal partitioning theory. In contrast,dry matter partitioning was affected by N supply throughoutontogeny, such that at low N supply dry matter was preferentiallyallocated to roots, which is in agreement with optimal partitioningtheory. Independent of N supply, atmospheric CO₂enrichment resultedin a reduction in leaf area ratio (LAR), solely due to a decreasein specific leaf area (SLA), when plants of the same age werecompared. However, [CO₂] did not affect allometric coefficientsrelating dry weight and leaf area, and effects of elevated [CO₂]on LAR and SLA were the result of an early, transient stimulationof whole plant and leaf dry weight, compared to leaf area production.We conclude that elevated [CO₂], in contrast to N supply, changesallocation patterns only transiently during early stages ofgrowth, if at all. Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company Allometric growth, carbon dioxide enrichment, Cocksfoot, Dactylis glomerata L., dry weight partitioning, leaf area ratio, nitrogen supply, shoot:root ratio, specific leaf area     

CO2浓度升高与氮沉降对南亚热带森林生态系统植物生物量积累及分配格局的影响

 CO₂浓度升高与氮沉降增加对陆地生态系统的耦合作用已成为全球变化的研究热点。应用大型开顶箱(OTC)人工控制手段研究了人工生态系统在1)高CO₂(700±20 μmol·mol^–1)+高氮沉降(100 kg N·hm^–2·a^–1)(CN); 2)高CO₂(700±20 μmol·mol^–1)+背景氮沉降(C＋); 3)高氮沉降(100 kg N· hm^–2·a^–1)＋背景CO₂(N＋); 4)背景CO₂＋背景氮沉降处理(CK) 4种处理条件下荷木 (Schima superba)、红锥(Castanopsis hystrix)、海南红豆(Ormosia pinnata)、肖蒲桃(Acmena acuminatissima)、红鳞蒲桃(Syzygium hancei)等主要南亚热带森林植物的生物量积累模式及其分配格局。连续近3年的实验结果表明: 不同处理条件下, 各参试植物生物量积累具有不同的响应特征, N＋处理显著促进荷木、肖蒲桃及红鳞蒲桃生物量的积累; C＋处理显著促进肖蒲桃、海南红豆生物量的积累; CN处理显著促进除红锥外其他物种生物量的积累, 并且具有两者单独处理的叠加效应。不同处理改变物种生物量的分配模式, N＋处理降低植物的根冠比, 促进地上部分生物量的积累; C＋处理增加红锥和红鳞蒲桃地下部分生物量的分配, 却促进荷木和海南红豆地上部分的积累; CN处理仅促进红磷蒲桃地下部分的积累。群落生物量的积累与分配格局取决于优势物种的生物量及其分配格局在群落中所占的权重。     

Elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, litter chemistry,and decomposition: a synthesis

The results of published and unpublished experiments investigating the impacts of elevated [CO₂] on the chemistry of leaf litter and decomposition of plant tissues are summarized. The data do not support the hypothesis that changes in leaf litter chemistry often associated with growing plants under elevated [CO₂] have an impact on decomposition processes. A meta-analysis of data from naturally senesced leaves in field experiments showed that the nitrogen (N) concentration in leaf litter was 7.1% lower in elevated [CO₂] compared to that in ambient [CO₂]. This statistically significant difference was: (1) usually not significant in individual experiments, (2) much less than that often observed in green leaves, and (3) less in leaves with an N concentration indicative of complete N resorption. Under ideal conditions, the efficiency with which N is resorbed during leaf senescence was found not to be altered by CO₂ enrichment, but other environmental influences on resorption inevitably increase the variability in litter N concentration. Nevertheless, the small but consistent decline in leaf litter N concentration in many experiments, coupled with a 6.5% increase in lignin concentration, would be predicted to result in a slower decomposition rate in CO₂-enriched litter. However, across the assembled data base, neither mass loss nor respiration rates from litter produced in elevated [CO₂] showed any consistent pattern or differences from litter grown in ambient [CO₂]. The effects of [CO₂] on litter chemistry or decomposition were usually smallest under experimental conditions similar to natural field conditions, including open-field exposure, plants free-rooted in the ground, and complete senescence. It is concluded that any changes in decomposition rates resulting from exposure of plants to elevated [CO₂] are small when compared to other potential impacts of elevated [CO₂] on carbon and N cycling. Reasons for experimental differences are considered, and recommendations for the design and execution of decomposition experiments using materials from CO₂-enrichment experiments are outlined.     

Compensatory Roles of Nitrogen Uptake and Photosynthetic N-use Efficiency in Determining Plant Growth Response to Elevated CO2: Evaluation Using a Functional Balance Model

We used a modified functional balance (FB) model to predictgrowth response of Helianthus annuus L. to elevated CO₂. Modelpredictions were evaluated against measurements obtained twiceduring the experiment. There was a good agreement between modelpredictions of relative growth rate (RGR) responses to elevatedCO₂and observations, particularly at the second harvest. Themodel was then used to compare the relative effects of biomassallocation to roots, nitrogen (N) uptake and photosyntheticN-use efficiency (PNUE) in determining plant growth responseto elevated CO₂. The model predicted that a rather substantialincrease in biomass allocation to root growth had little effecton whole plant growth response to elevated CO₂, suggesting thatplasticity in root allocation is relatively unimportant in determininggrowth response. Average N uptake rate at elevated comparedto ambient CO₂was decreased by 21–29%. In contrast, elevatedCO₂increased PNUE by approx. 50% due to a corresponding risein the CO₂-saturation factor for carboxylation at elevated CO₂.The model predicted that the decreased N uptake rate at elevatedCO₂lowered RGR modestly, but this effect was counterbalancedby an increase in PNUE resulting in a positive CO₂effect ongrowth. Increased PNUE may also explain why in many experimentselevated CO₂enhances biomass accumulation despite a significantdrop in tissue nitrogen concentration. The formulation of theFB model as presented here successfully predicted plant growthresponses to elevated CO₂. It also proved effective in resolvingwhich plant properties had the greatest leverage on such responses.Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company Elevated CO₂, functional balance model, Helianthus annuus L., N uptake, photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency, root:shoot ratio     

Root system adjustments: regulation of plant nutrient uptake and growth responses to elevated CO2

Nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) often limit plant growth rate and production in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Limited availability of these nutrients is also a major factor influencing long-term plant and ecosystem responses to rising atmospheric CO₂ levels, i.e., the commonly observed short-term increase in plant biomass may not be sustained over the long-term. Therefore, it is critical to obtain a mechanistic understanding of whether elevated CO₂ can elicit compensatory adjustments such that acquisition capacity for minerals increases in concert with carbon (C) uptake. Compensatory adjustments such as increases in (a) root mycorrhizal infection, (b) root-to-shoot ratio and changes in root morphology and architecture, (c) root nutrient absorption capacity, and (d) nutrient-use efficiency can enable plants to meet an increased nutrient demand under high CO₂. Here we examine the literature to assess the extent to which these mechanisms have been shown to respond to high CO₂. The literature survey reveals no consistent pattern either in direction or magnitude of responses of these mechanisms to high CO₂. This apparent lack of a pattern may represent variations in experimental protocol and/or interspecific differences. We found that in addressing nutrient uptake responses to high CO₂ most investigators have examined these mechanisms in isolation. Because such mechanisms can potentially counterbalance one another, a more reliable prediction of elevated CO₂ responses requires experimental designs that integrate all mechanisms simultaneously. Finally, we present a functional balance (FB) model as an example of how root system adjustments and nitrogen-use efficiency can be integrated to assess growth responses to high CO₂. The FB model suggests that the mechanisms of increased N uptake highlighted here have different weights in determining overall plant responses to high CO₂. For example, while changes in root-to-shoot biomass allocation, r, have a small effect on growth, adjustments in uptake rate per unit root mass, [`(n)]\bar \nu , and photosynthetic N use efficiency, p*, have a significantly greater leverage on growth responses to elevated CO₂ except when relative growth rate (RGR) reaches its developmental limit, maximum RGR (RGR_max).     

A link between plant diversity, elevated CO2 and soil nitrate

Interactive effects of reductions in plant species diversity and increases in atmospheric CO₂ were investigated in a long-term study in nutrient-poor calcareous grassland. Throughout the experiment, soil nitrate was persistently increased at low plant species diversity, and CO₂ enrichment reduced soil [NO₃^-] at all levels of plant species diversity. In our study, soil [NO₃^-] was unrelated to root length density, microbial biomass N, community legume contents, and experimental plant communities differed only little in total N pools. However, potential nitrification revealed exactly the same treatment effects as soil [NO₃^-], providing circumstantial evidence that nitrification rates drove the observed changes in [NO₃^-]. One possible explanation for plant diversity effects on nitrification lies in spatial and temporal interspecific differences in plant N uptake, which would more often allow accumulation of NH₄⁺ in part of the soil profile at low diversity than in more species-rich plant communities. Consequently, nitrification rates and soil [NO₃^-] would increase. Elevated CO₂ increased soil water contents, which may have improved NO₃^- diffusion to the root surface thereby reducing soil [NO₃^-]. Higher soil moisture at elevated CO₂ might also reduce nitrification rates due to less aerobic conditions. The accordance of the diversity effect on soil [NO₃^-] with previous experiments suggests that increased soil [NO₃^-] at low species diversity is a fairly general phenomenon, although the mechanisms causing high [NO₃^-] may vary. In contrast, experimental evidence for effects of CO₂ enrichment on soil [NO₃^-] is ambiguous, and the antagonistic interaction of plant species reductions and elevated CO₂ we have observed is thus probably less universal.     

Seasonal changes in the effects of free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) on growth, morphology and physiology of rice root at three levels of nitrogen fertilization

Over time, the relative effects of elevated [CO₂] on the aboveground photosynthesis, growth and development of rice (Oryza sativa L.) are likely to be changed with increasing duration of CO₂ exposure, but the resultant effects on rice belowground responses remain to be evaluated. To investigate the impacts of elevated [CO₂] on seasonal changes in root growth, morphology and physiology of rice, a free‐air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) experiment was performed at Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, in 2002–2003. A japonica cultivar with large panicle was exposed to two [CO₂] (ambient [CO₂], 370 μmol mol⁻¹; elevated [CO₂], 570 μmol mol⁻¹) at three levels of nitrogen (N): low (LN, 15 g N m⁻²), medium (MN, 25 g N m⁻²) and high N (HN, 35 g N m⁻²). Elevated [CO₂] increased cumulative root volume, root dry weight, adventitious root length and adventitious root number at all developmental stages by 25–71%, which was mainly associated with increased root growth rate during early growth period (EGP) and lower rate of root senescence during late growth period (LGP), while a slight inhibition of root growth rate occurred during middle growth period (MGP). For individual adventitious roots, elevated [CO₂] increased average length, volume, diameter and dry weight early in the season, but the effects gradually disappeared in subsequent stages. Total surface area and active adsorption area per unit root dry weight reached their maxima 10 days earlier in FACE vs. ambient plants, but both of them together with root oxidation ability per unit root dry weight declined with elevated [CO₂] during MGP and LGP, the decline being larger during MGP than LGP. The CO₂‐induced decreases in specific root activities during MGP and LGP were associated with a larger amount of root accumulation during EGP and lower N concentration and higher C/N ratio in roots during MGP and LGP in FACE vs. ambient plants. The results suggest that most of the CO₂‐induced increases in shoot growth of rice are similarly associated with increased root growth.     

A meta-analysis of elevated [CO2] effects on soybean (Glycine max) physiology, growth and yield

The effects of elevated [CO₂] on 25 variables describing soybean physiology, growth and yield are reviewed using meta‐analytic techniques. This is the first meta‐analysis to our knowledge performed on a single crop species and summarizes the effects of 111 studies. These primary studies include numerous soybean growth forms, various stress and experimental treatments, and a range of elevated [CO₂] levels (from 450 to 1250 p.p.m.), with a mean of 689 p.p.m. across all studies. Stimulation of soybean leaf CO₂ assimilation rate with growth at elevated [CO₂] was 39%, despite a 40% decrease in stomatal conductance and a 11% decrease in Rubisco activity. Increased leaf CO₂ uptake combined with an 18% stimulation in leaf area to provide a 59% increase in canopy photosynthetic rate. The increase in total dry weight was lower at 37%, and seed yield still lower at 24%. This shows that even in an agronomic species selected for maximum investment in seed, several plant level feedbacks prevent additional investment in reproduction, such that yield fails to reflect fully the increase in whole plant carbon uptake. Large soil containers (> 9 L) have been considered adequate for assessing plant responses to elevated [CO₂]. However, in open‐top chamber experiments, soybeans grown in large pots showed a significant threefold smaller stimulation in yield than soybeans grown in the ground. This suggests that conclusions about plant yield based on pot studies, even when using very large containers, are a poor reflection of performance in the absence of any physical restriction on root growth. This review supports a number of current paradigms of plant responses to elevated [CO₂]. Namely, stimulation of photosynthesis is greater in plants that fix N and have additional carbohydrate sinks in nodules. This supports the notion that photosynthetic capacity decreases when plants are N‐limited, but not when plants have adequate N and sink strength. The root : shoot ratio did not change with growth at elevated [CO₂], sustaining the charge that biomass allocation is unaffected by growth at elevated [CO₂] when plant size and ontogeny are considered.     

CO2浓度增加和不同氮肥水平对冬小麦根系呼吸及生物量的影响

 依托FACE(Free-air CO₂ enrichment)研究平台, 利用特制分根集气生长箱, 采用静态箱-GC(Gas chromatography)法, 连续两年研究 了大气CO₂浓度升高和不同氮肥水平对冬小麦拔节期、孕穗抽穗期和灌浆末期的根系呼吸及生物量的影响。两季结果表明, CO₂浓度升高和高氮 肥量均不同程度地增加了3个阶段的地上部和地下部的生物量, 这有利于增加根茬的还田量; CO₂浓度升高对冬小麦不同生长阶段的根系呼吸影 响不同, 在拔节期影响较小;孕穗抽穗期显著增加了根系呼吸, 2004~2005季分别增加33.8%(148.1 mg N&;#8226;kg^-1 干土, HN)和43.9%(88.9 mg N&;#8226;kg^-1 干土, LN), 2005~2006季分别为23.8%(HN)和28.9%(LN); 而灌浆末期显著降低了根系呼吸, 2004~2005季分别降低31.4%(HN)和23.3% (LN), 2005~2006季分别为25.1%(HN)和18.5%(LN); 高施氮量比低施氮量促进了根系呼吸; 随着作物生长根系呼吸与地下生物量呈显著线性负相 关, 高CO₂环境中的R²变小,表明随着作物生长发育高CO₂浓度降低了作物根系呼吸与地下部生物量积累间的相关性.     

开放式空气二氧化碳浓度增高(FACE)条件下水稻的根系活力和氮同化能力

利用FACE(Free Air Carbon-dioxide Enrichment)平台技术,用伤流量法研究了低氮(LN 150 kg·hm^-2)和常氮(NN 250 kg·hm^-2)水平下,大气CO₂浓度升高对水稻分蘖、抽穗期和穗后35 d根系活力和根系N同化能力(氨基酸合成能力)的影响.结果表明,就整株水稻来看, CO₂浓度升高和N处理对根系活力无显著影响;但由于FACE条件下水稻分蘖数增加14.5%(LN)和20.7%(NN),使每茎根系活力(伤流强度)降低1.4%～21.7%.在分蘖和抽穗期,虽然FACE处理促进了根系吸收的无机N向氨基酸转化,根系伤流液中氨基酸氮/无机氮提高11.1%～143.1%,但氨基酸浓度和合成总量和对照相比无明显差异.在穗后35 d,FACE处理减弱了水稻根系的N同化能力,表现为根系伤流液中氨基酸/无机氮降低38.1%(LN)和29.2%(NN);同时氨基酸浓度降低34.0%(LN)和44.7%(NN),氨基酸合成总量降低50.8%(LN)和40.0%(NN).提高施氮水平促进了抽穗期水稻根系对无机氮的吸收,伤流液中无机氮含量增加51.1%(对照)和155.2%(FACE),但并未增加氨基酸合成量,由此导致抽穗期氨基酸氮/无机氮显著降低19.5%(对照)和36.8%(FACE);同时,氮处理在这个时期与FACE处理表现出明显的交互作用.     

The nitrogen budget of a pine forest under free air CO2 enrichment

Elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO₂ increase plant biomass, net primary production (NPP) and plant demand for nitrogen (N). The demand for N set by rapid plant growth under elevated CO₂ could be met by increasing soil N availability or by greater efficiency of N uptake. Alternatively, plants could increase their nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE), thereby maintaining high rates of growth and NPP in the face of nutrient limitation. We quantified dry matter and N budgets for a young pine forest exposed to 4 years of elevated CO₂ using free-air CO₂ enrichment technology. We addressed three questions: Does elevated CO₂ increase forest NPP and the demand for N by vegetation? Is demand for N met by greater uptake from soils, a shift in the distribution of N between plants, microbes, and soils, or increases in NUE under elevated CO₂? Will soil N availability constrain the NPP response of this forest as CO₂ fumigation continues? A step-function increase in atmospheric CO₂ significantly increased NPP during the first 4 years of this study. Significant increases in NUE under elevated CO₂ modulated the average annual requirement for N by vegetation in the first and third growing seasons under elevated CO₂; the average stimulation of NPP in these years was 21% whereas the average annual stimulation of the N requirement was only 6%. In the second and fourth growing seasons, increases in NPP increased the annual requirement for N by 27-33%. Increases in the annual requirement for N were largely met by increases in N uptake from soils. Retranslocation of nutrients prior to senescence played only a minor role in supplying the additional N required by trees growing under elevated CO₂. NPP was highly correlated with between-plot variation in the annual rate of net N mineralization and CO₂ treatment. This demonstrates that NPP is co-limited by C availability, as CO₂ from the atmosphere, and N availability from soils. There is no evidence that soil N mineralization rates have increased under elevated CO₂. The correlation between NPP and N mineralization rates and the increase in the annual requirement for N in certain years imply that soil N availability may control the long-term productivity response of this ecosystem to elevated CO₂. Although we have no evidence suggesting that NPP is declining in response to >4 years of CO₂ fumigation, if the annual requirement of N continues to be stimulated by elevated CO₂, we predict that the productivity response of this forest ecosystem will decline over time.     

Elevated [CO2] and nutrient status modified leaf phenology and growth rhythm of young Populus trichocarpa trees in a 3-year field study

Young individuals of a single clone of black cottonwood, in Iceland, were exposed for 3 years to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations [CO₂] in whole-tree chambers at natural and high nutrient availability. No treatment effects were found at bud break or the start of shoot extension in spring. Autumn phenology was, however, affected both by elevated [CO₂] and changes in nutrient status. The time of annual growth cessation was linearly related to leaf nitrogen concentration, irrespective of CO₂ treatment. At low (natural) nutrient availability, elevated [CO₂] accelerated growth cessation and bud set, which reduced the period of active growth. An earlier and more pronounced leaf senescence and corresponding loss of photosynthetic capacity further decreased carbon acquisition in elevated [CO₂]. The negative [CO₂] effect on duration of shoot extension and leaf senescence existed, but was not as pronounced, when trees grew at higher nutrient availability. Improved nutrient availability extended the shoot extension period and delayed leaf senescence. It is suggested that trees grown in elevated [CO₂] altered their autumn phenology as an effect of a signal similar to that in trees growing at low nutrient availability, i.e. an imbalance between carbon and nitrogen sources. These alterations in autumn phenology may be important when predicting how trees will grow in a future CO₂ environment.     

Effect of elevated CO2 and nutrient status on growth, dry matter partitioning and nutrient content of Poa alpina var. vivipara L.

Poa alpina var. vivipara L. was grown in an atmosphere containingeither 340 or 680 µmol CO₂ mol^–1 within controlledenvironment chambers. The available nutrient regime was variedby altering the supply of nitrogen and phosphorus within a completenutrient solution. At a high, but not low, N and P supply regime,elevated CO₂ markedly increased growth. Differences betweennutrient supply, but not atmospheric CO₂ concentration, alteredthe allometric relations between root and shoot. Net photosynthesisof mature leaf blades and leaf N and P concentration were reducedin plants grown at the elevated CO₂ concentration. The question was asked: is it possible to ascribe all of theseeffects to elevated CO₂ or are some due to nutrient deficiencycaused by dilution with excess carbon? Several criteria, includingthe nutrient content of sink tissue, root:shoot allometry andthe use of divalent cations to estimate integrated water flowsare suggested in order to make this distinction. It is concludedthat only at a low supply of N and P₁ and elevated CO₂ concentration,was low leaf N concentration due to induced nutrient deficiency.The data are consistent with a model where the capacity of sinksto use photosynthetically assimilated carbon sets both the rateof import into those sinks (and thus rate of export from sourceleaves) and the rate of photosynthesis of source leaves themselves. Key words: Poa alpina L., growth, photosynthesis, carbohydrate, export, nitrogen, phosphorus     

Effects of nitrogen on Pinus palustris foliar respiratory responses to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration

Indirect effects of atmospheric CO₂ concentration [CO₂], onlongleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) foliage respiration werestudied by growing trees in a factorial arrangement of low andhigh [CO₂] (369 and 729µmol CO₂ mol^–1) and low andhigh N (40 and 400 kg ha^–1 yr^–1). Direct effectsof [CO₂] on leaf respiration were tested by measuring respirationrates of foliage from all treatments at two CO₂ levels (360and 720µmol CO₂mol^–1) at the time of measurement.Elevated CO₂ did not directly or indirectly affect leaf respirationwhen expressed on a leaf area or mass basis, but a significantincrease in respiration per unit leaf N was observed in treesgrown in elevated [CO₂] (indirect response to elevated [CO₂]).The lack of a [CO₂] effect on respiration, when analysed onan area or mass basis, may have resulted from combined effectsof [CO₂] on factors that increase respiration (e.g. greateravailability of non-structural carbohydrates stimulating growthand carbon export from leaves) and on factors that decreaserespiration (e.g. lower N concentration leading to lower constructioncosts and maintenance requirements). Thus, [CO₂] affected factorsthat influence respiration, but in opposing ways. Key words: Pinus palustris, elevated CO₂, nitrogen, foliar, respiration     

Increased night temperature reduces the stimulatory effect of elevated carbon dioxide concentration on methane emission from rice paddy soil

To determine how elevated night temperature interacts with carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) to affect methane (CH₄) emission from rice paddy soil, we conducted a pot experiment using four controlled‐environment chambers and imposed a combination of two [CO₂] levels (ambient: 380 ppm; elevated: 680 ppm) and two night temperatures (22 and 32 °C). The day temperature was maintained at 32 °C. Rice (cv. IR72) plants were grown outside until the early‐reproductive growth stage and then transferred to the chambers. After onset of the treatment, day and night CH₄ fluxes were measured every week. The CH₄ fluxes changed significantly with the growth stage, with the largest fluxes occurring around the heading stage in all treatments. The total CH₄ emission during the treatment period was significantly increased by both elevated [CO₂] (P=0.03) and elevated night temperature (P<0.01). Elevated [CO₂] increased CH₄ emission by 3.5% and 32.2% under high and low night temperature conditions, respectively. Elevated [CO₂] increased the net dry weight of rice plants by 12.7% and 38.4% under high and low night temperature conditions, respectively. These results imply that increasing night temperature reduces the stimulatory effect of elevated [CO₂] on both CH₄ emission and rice growth. The CH₄ emission during the day was larger than at night even under the high‐night‐temperature treatment (i.e. a constant temperature all day). This difference became larger after the heading stage. We observed significant correlations between the night respiration and daily CH₄ flux (P<0.01). These results suggest that net plant photosynthesis contributes greatly to CH₄ emission and that increasing night temperature reduces the stimulatory effect of elevated [CO₂] on CH₄ emission from rice paddy soil.     

Wheat genotypes differing in aluminum tolerance differ in their growth response to CO2 enrichment in acid soils

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major factor limiting plant growth in acid soils. Elevated atmospheric CO₂ [CO₂] enhances plant growth. However, there is no report on the effect of elevated [CO₂] on growth of plant genotypes differing in Al tolerance grown in acid soils. We investigated the effect of short‐term elevated [CO₂] on growth of Al‐tolerant (ET8) and Al‐sensitive (ES8) wheat plants and malate exudation from root apices by growing them in acid soils under ambient [CO₂] and elevated [CO₂] using open‐top chambers. Exposure of ET8 plants to elevated [CO₂] enhanced root biomass only. In contrast, shoot biomass of ES8 was enhanced by elevated [CO₂]. Given that exudation of malate to detoxify apoplastic Al is a mechanism for Al tolerance in wheat plants, ET8 plants exuded greater amounts of malate from root apices than ES8 plants under both ambient and elevated [CO₂]. These results indicate that elevated [CO₂] has no effect on malate exudation in both ET8 and ES8 plants. These novel findings have important implications for our understanding how plants respond to elevated [CO₂] grown in unfavorable edaphic conditions in general and in acid soils in particular.     

黄土塬区麦田CO2通量季节变化

利用涡度相关法对黄土塬区小麦地CO₂通量季节变化进行了研究。结果表明：（1）小麦CO₂通量日变化与生育期、光合有效辐射、土壤温度密切相关。（2）小麦各生育期CO2的平均日收支由大到小依次为拔节孕穗期＞返青期＞起身期＞抽穗期＞成熟期＞灌浆期＞出苗分蘖期＞越冬期。（3）白昼CO₂通量与光合有效辐射在出苗分蘖期、起身期、成熟期几乎不相关,在灌浆期低度相关,在其他生育期内都达到了显著相关。CO₂通量与夜间2cm土壤温度在越冬、起身、拔节孕穗期显著相关,其他5个生育期内为低度相关。（4）小麦收割后表现为碳源,各天具体状况与前一天是否降雨、当天的天气状况有关。     

Phosphorus supply and arbuscular mycorrhizas increase growth and net gas exchange responses of two Citrus spp. grown at elevated [CO2]

We hypothesized that greater photosynthate supply at elevated [CO₂] could compensate for increased below-ground C demands of arbuscular mycorrhizas. Therefore, we investigated plant growth, mineral nutrition, starch, and net gas exchange responses of two Citrus spp. to phosphorus (P) nutrition and mycorrhizas at elevated atmospheric [CO₂]. Half of the seedlings of sour orange (C. aurantium L.) and ‘Ridge Pineapple’ sweet orange (C. sinensis L. Osbeck) were inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith and half were non-mycorrhizal (NM). Plants were grown at ambient or 2X ambient [CO₂] in unshaded greenhouses for 11 weeks and fertilized daily with nutrient solution either without added P or with 2 mM P in a low-P soil. High P supply reduced AM colonization whereas elevated [CO₂] counteracted the depressive effect of P on intraradical colonization and vesicle development. Seedlings grown at either elevated [CO₂], high P or with G. intraradices had greater growth, net assimilation of CO₂ (A _CO2) in leaves, leaf water-use efficiency, leaf dry wt/area, leaf starch and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Root/whole plant dry wt ratio was decreased by elevated [CO₂], P, and AM colonization. Mycorrhizal seedlings had higher leaf-P status but lower leaf N and K concentrations than nonmycorrhizal seedlings which was due to growth dilution effects. Starch in fibrous roots was increased by elevated [CO₂] but reduced by G. intraradices, especially at low-P supply. In fibrous roots, elevated [CO₂] had no effect on C/N, but AM colonization decreased C/N in both Citrus spp. grown at low-P supply. Overall, there were no species differences in growth or A _CO2. Mycorrhizas did not increase plant growth at ambient [CO₂]. At elevated [CO₂], however, mycorrhizas stimulated growth at both P levels in sour orange, the more mycorrhiza-dependent species, but only at low-P in sweet orange, the less dependent species. At low-P and elevated [CO₂], colonization by the AM fungus increased A _CO2 in both species but more so in sour orange than in sweet orange. Leaf P and root N concentrations were increased more and root starch level was decreased less by AM in sour orange than in sweet orange. Thus, the additional [CO₂] availability to mycorrhizal plants increased CO₂ assimilation, growth and nutrient uptake over that of NM plants especially in sour orange under P limitation. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Photosynthetic Carbon Reduction and Carbon Oxidation Cycles are the Main Electron Sinks for Photosystem II Activity During a Mild Drought

Stomatal closure can explain the inhibition of net CO₂ uptakeby a leaf subjected to a mild drought: the photosynthetic apparatusappears resistant to lack of water. Changes in both the watercontent of leaves maintained in a constant environment and theambient CO₂ molar fraction during measurements on well-hydratedleaves lead to similar effects on net CO₂ uptake and whole chainelectron transport as estimated by leaf chlorophyll fluorescencemeasurements. In particular, it is shown that photosystem II(PSII) functioning and its regulation are not qualitativelychanged during desiccation and that the variations in PSII photochemistrycan simply be understood by changes in substrate availabilityin this condition. Moreover, an analysis of the literature showsthat when inhibition of net CO₂ uptake by C₃ leaves under drought(Phaseolus vulgaris L., Helianthus annus L. and Solanum tuberosumL.) was lower than 80 %, elevated CO₂ completely restored thephotosynthetic capacity. The CO₂ molar fraction in the chloroplastsdeclines as stomata close in drying leaves. As a consequence,in C₃ plants, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate oxygenation increasesand becomes the main sink for photosynthetic electrons. Dependingon the prevailing photon flux density, the O₂ uptake throughphotorespiratory activity can entirely replace carbon dioxideas an electron acceptor, or not. The rate of the Mehler reactionremains low and unchanged during desiccation. However, droughtcould also involve CO₂-sensitive modification of the photosyntheticmetabolism depending on plant growth conditions and possiblyalso on plant species.