Growth and Photosynthetic Carbon Metabolism in Tobacco Plants under an Oscillating CO2 Concentration in the Atmosphere

Abstract: The hypothesis for the present work was that photosynthetic acclimation to increased atmospheric CO₂ in Nicotiana tabacum could be prevented by an oscillating supply of CO₂. This was tested by growing half of the plants (for the 20 day period after sowing) at 700 μmol mol^‐1 CO₂ (S+ plants) and half at 350 μmol mol^‐1 CO₂ (S‐ plants) and thereafter switching them every 48 h from high to low CO₂ and vice versa. These plants were compared with plants continuously kept (from sowing onwards) at 350 μmol mol^‐1 CO₂ (C‐ plants) and 700 μmol mol^‐1 CO₂ (C+ plants). Switching plants from high to low CO₂ and vice versa (S+ and S‐) did not improve plant growth efficiency, as hypothesized. The extra carbon fixed by the leaves under increased CO₂ in the atmosphere, supplied either continuously or intermittently, was mostly stored as starch and not used to build additional structural biomass. The differences in final plant biomass, observed between S+ and S‐ plants, are explained by the CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere during the first 20 days after sowing, the oscillation in CO₂ supply thereafter is playing a smaller role in this response. Switching plants from high to low CO₂ and vice versa, also did not prevent down‐regulation of photosynthesis, despite lower leaf sugar concentrations than in C+ plants. Nitrate concentration decreased dramatically in C+, S+ and S‐ plants. The leaf C/N ratio was highest in C+ plants (ranging from 8 to 13), intermediate in S+ and S‐ plants (from 7 to 11) and lowest in C‐ plants (from 6 to 8). This supports the view that the balance between carbohydrates and nitrogen may have a triggering role in plant response under elevated CO₂. Carbon export rates by the leaves seem to be independent of total carbon assimilation, suggesting a sink limiting effect on tobacco growth and phototsynthesis under elevated CO₂.     

Plastic and genetic responses of a common sedge to warming have contrasting effects on carbon cycle processes

Climate warming affects plant physiology through genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity, but little is known about how these mechanisms influence ecosystem processes. We used three elevation gradients and a reciprocal transplant experiment to show that temperature causes genetic change in the sedge Eriophorum vaginatum. We demonstrate that plants originating from warmer climate produce fewer secondary compounds, grow faster and accelerate carbon dioxide (CO₂) release to the atmosphere. However, warmer climate also caused plasticity in E. vaginatum, inhibiting nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis and growth and slowing CO₂ release into the atmosphere. Genetic differentiation and plasticity in E. vaginatum thus had opposing effects on CO₂ fluxes, suggesting that warming over many generations may buffer, or reverse, the short‐term influence of this species over carbon cycle processes. Our findings demonstrate the capacity for plant evolution to impact ecosystem processes, and reveal a further mechanism through which plants will shape ecosystem responses to climate change.     

An oxygen-mediated positive feedback between elevated carbon dioxide and soil organic matter decomposition in a simulated anaerobic wetland

We examined the effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ on soil carbon decomposition in an experimental anaerobic wetland system. Pots containing either bare C₄‐derived soil or the C₃ sedge Scirpus olneyi planted in C₄‐derived soil were incubated in greenhouse chambers at either ambient or twice‐ambient atmospheric CO₂. We measured CO₂ flux from each pot, quantified soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization using δ¹³C, and determined root and shoot biomass. SOM mineralization increased in response to elevated CO₂ by 83–218% (P<0.0001). In addition, soil redox potential was significantly and positively correlated with root biomass (P= 0.003). Our results (1) show that there is a positive feedback between elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and wetland SOM decomposition and (2) suggest that this process is mediated by the release of oxygen from the roots of wetland plants. Because this feedback may occur in any wetland system, including peatlands, these results suggest a limitation on the size of the carbon sink presented by anaerobic wetland soils in a future elevated‐CO₂ atmosphere.     

The Arabidopsis thaliana aquaporin AtPIP1;2 is a physiologically relevant CO₂ transport facilitator

Cellular exchange of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is of extraordinary importance for life. Despite this significance, its molecular mechanisms are still unclear and a matter of controversy. In contrast to other living organisms, plants are physiologically limited by the availability of CO₂. In most plants, net photosynthesis is directly dependent on CO₂ diffusion from the atmosphere to the chloroplast. Thus, it is important to analyze CO₂ transport with regards to its effect on photosynthesis. A mutation of the Arabidopsis thaliana AtPIP1;2 gene, which was characterized as a non‐water transporting but CO₂ transport‐facilitating aquaporin in heterologous expression systems, correlated with a reduction in photosynthesis under a wide range of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. Here, we could demonstrate that the effect was caused by reduced CO₂ conductivity in leaf tissue. It is concluded that the AtPIP1;2 gene product limits CO₂ diffusion and photosynthesis in leaves.     

The effect of high levels of carbon dioxide on dark respiration and growth of plants

Abstract Raising ambient levels of CO₂ during the night, between 350 and 950cm³m^?3, reduced the dark respiration rate of Medicago sativum seedlings. The percentage effect was greater for maintenance respiration than for dark respiration as a whole, and when the plants were in a low photosynthate status. Twenty-four h carbon balance studies confirmed a reduction in night time respiration and an increase of net carbon gain when night time [CO₂] was high. Growth experiments showed a small but significant increase of dry weight in Medicago sativum seedlings exposed to high [CO₂] (～ 1200 cm³m^?3) at night. This effect was greater for plants grown with Rhizobium nodules than for plants grown with nitrate in the absence of Rhizobium. A similar, but smaller and statistically non-significant effect of high night time [CO₂] on growth was found for Xanthium strumarium seedlings. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the rising CO₂ content of the atmosphere.     

Vascular Plant Responses to Elevated CO2 in a Temperate Lowland Sphagnum Peatland

Vascular plant responses to experimental enrichment with atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), using MINIFACE technology, were studied in a Dutch lowland peatland dominated by Sphagnum and Phragmites for 3 years. We hypothesized that vascular plant carbon would accumulate in this peatland in response to CO₂ enrichment owing to increased productivity of the predominant species and poorer quality (higher C/N ratios) and consequently lower decomposability of the leaf litter of these species. Carbon isotope signatures demonstrated that the extra 180 ppmv CO₂ in enriched plots had been incorporated into vegetation biomass accordingly. However, on the CO₂ sequestration side of the ecosystem carbon budget, there were neither any significant responses of total aboveground abundance of vascular plants, nor of any of the individual species. On the CO₂ release side of the carbon budget (decomposition pathway), litter quantity did not differ between ambient and CO₂ treatments, while the changes in litter quality (N and P concentration, C/N and C/P ratio) were marginal and inconsistent. It appeared therefore that the afterlife effects of significant CO₂-induced changes in green-leaf chemistry (lower N and P concentrations, higher C/N and C/P) were partly offset by greater resorption of mobile carbohydrates from green leaves during senescence in CO₂-enriched plants. The decomposability of leaf litters of three predominant species from ambient and CO₂-enriched plots, as measured in a laboratory litter respiration assay, showed no differences. The relatively short time period, environmental spatial heterogeneity and small plot sizes might explain part of the lack of CO₂ response. When our results are combined with those from other Sphagnum peatland studies, the common pattern emerges that the vascular vegetation in these ecosystems is genuinely resistant to CO₂-induced change. On decadal time-scales, water management and its effects on peatland hydrology, N deposition from anthropogenic sources and land management regimes that arrest the early successional phase (mowing, tree and shrub removal), may have a greater impact on the vascular plant species composition, carbon balance and functioning of lowland Sphagnum–Phragmites reedlands than increasing CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere.     

Soil respiration and the global carbon cycle

Soil respiration is the primary path by which CO₂fixed by land plants returns to the atmosphere. Estimated at approximately 75 × 10¹⁵gC/yr, this large natural flux is likely to increase due changes in the Earth's condition. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief scientific review for policymakers who are concerned that changes in soil respiration may contribute to the rise in CO₂in Earth's atmosphere. Rising concentrations of CO₂in the atmosphere will increase the flux of CO₂from soils, while simultaneously leaving a greater store of carbon in the soil. Traditional tillage cultivation and rising temperature increase the flux of CO₂from soils without increasing the stock of soil organic matter. Increasing deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere may lead to the sequestration of carbon in vegetation and soils. The response of the land biosphere to simultaneous changes in all of these factors is unknown, but a large increase in the soil carbon pool seems unlikely to moderate the rise in atmospheric CO₂during the next century.     

Growth,reproductive phenology and yield responses of a potential biofuel plant,Jatropha curcas grown under projected 2050 levels of elevated CO2

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) is a non‐edible oil producing plant which is being advocated as an alternative biofuel energy resource. Its ability to grow in diverse soil conditions and minimal requirements of essential agronomical inputs compared with other oilseed crops makes it viable for cost‐effective advanced biofuel production. We designed a study to investigate the effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) (550 ppm) on the growth, reproductive development, source‐sink relationships, fruit and seed yield of J. curcas. We report, for the first time that elevated CO₂ significantly influences reproductive characteristics of Jatropha and improve its fruit and seed yields. Net photosynthetic rate of Jatropha was 50% higher in plants grown in elevated CO₂ compared with field and ambient CO₂‐grown plants. The study also revealed that elevated CO₂ atmosphere significantly increased female to male flower ratio, above ground biomass and carbon sequestration potential in Jatropha (24 kg carbon per tree) after 1 year. Our data demonstrate that J. curcas was able to sustain enhanced rate of photosynthesis in elevated CO₂ conditions as it had sufficient sink strength to balance the increased biomass yields. Our study also elucidates that the economically important traits including fruit and seed yield in elevated CO₂ conditions were significantly high in J. curcas that holds great promise as a potential biofuel tree species for the future high CO₂ world.     

Decline in gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) performance in an elevated CO2 atmosphere depends upon host plant species

Plant species differ broadly in their responses to an elevated CO₂ atmosphere, particularly in the extent of nitrogen dilution of leaf tissue. Insect herbivores are often limited by the availability of nutrients, such as nitrogen, in their host plant tissue and may therefore respond differentially on different plant species grown in CO₂-enriched environments. We reared gyspy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar) in situ on seedlings of yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis) and gray birch (B. populifolia) grown in an ambient (350 ppm) or elevated (700 ppm) CO₂ atmosphere to test whether larval responses in the elevated CO₂ atmosphere were species-dependent. We report that female gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar) reared on gray birch (Betula populifolia) achieved similar pupal masses on plants grown at an ambient or an elevated CO₂ concentration. However, on yellow birch (B. allegheniensis), female pupal mass was 38% smaller on plants in the elevated-CO₂ atmosphere. Larval mortality was significantly higher on yellow birch than gray birch, but did not differ between the CO₂ treatments. Relative growth rate declined more in the elevated CO₂ atmosphere for larvae on yellow birch than for those on gray birch. In preference tests, larvae preferred ambient over elevated CO₂-grown leaves of yellow birch, but showed no preference between gray birch leaves from the two CO₂ atmospheres. This differential response of gypsy moths to their host species corresponded to a greater decline in leaf nutritional quality in the elevated CO₂ atmosphere in yellow birch than in gray birch. Leaf nitrogen content of yellow birch dropped from 2.68% to 1.99% while that of gray birch leaves only declined from 3.23% to 2.63%. Meanwhile, leaf condensed tannin concentration increased from 8.92% to 11.45% in yellow birch leaves while gray birch leaves only increased from 10.72% to 12.34%. Thus the declines in larval performance in a future atmosphere may be substantial and host-species-specific.     

Effects of NAD kinase 2 overexpression on primary metabolite profiles in rice leaves under elevated carbon dioxide

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere is projected to double by the end of the 21st century. In C₃ plants, elevated CO₂ concentrations promote photosynthesis but inhibit the assimilation of nitrate into organic nitrogen compounds. Several steps of nitrate assimilation depend on the availability of ATP and sources of reducing power, such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). Plastid‐localised NAD kinase 2 (NADK2) plays key roles in increasing the ATP/ADP and NADP(H)/NAD(H) ratios. Here we examined the effects of NADK2 overexpression on primary metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa) leaves in response to elevated CO₂. By using capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry, we showed that the primary metabolite profile of NADK2‐overexpressing plants clearly differed from that of wild‐type plants under ambient and elevated CO₂. In NADK2‐overexpressing leaves, expression of the genes encoding glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase was up‐regulated, and the levels of Asn, Gln, Arg, and Lys increased in response to elevated CO₂. The present study suggests that overexpression of NADK2 promotes the biosynthesis of nitrogen‐rich amino acids under elevated CO₂.     

Consequences of CO2 and light interactions for leaf phenology, growth, and senescence in Quercus rubra

We investigated how light and CO₂ levels interact to influence growth, phenology, and the physiological processes involved in leaf senescence in red oak (Quercus rubra) seedlings. We grew plants in high and low light and in elevated and ambient CO₂. At the end of three years of growth, shade plants showed greater biomass enhancement under elevated CO₂ than sun plants. We attribute this difference to an increase in leaf area ratio (LAR) in shade plants relative to sun plants, as well as to an ontogenetic effect: as plants increased in size, the LAR declined concomitant with a decline in biomass enhancement under elevated CO₂ Elevated CO₂ prolonged the carbon gain capacity of shade‐grown plants during autumnal senescence, thus increasing their functional leaf lifespan. The prolongation of carbon assimilation, however, did not account for the increased growth enhancement in shade plants under elevated CO₂. Elevated CO₂ did not significantly alter leaf phenology. Nitrogen concentrations in both green and senesced leaves were lower under elevated CO₂ and declined more rapidly in sun leaves than in shade leaves. Similar to nitrogen concentration, the initial slope of A/C_i curves indicated that Rubisco activity declined more rapidly in sun plants than in shade plants, particularly under elevated CO₂. Absolute levels of chlorophyll were affected by the interaction of CO₂ and light, and chlorophyll content declined to a minimal level in sun plants sooner than in shade plants. These declines in N concentration, in the initial slope of A/C_i curves, and in chlorophyll content were consistent with declining photosynthesis, such that elevated CO₂ accelerated senescence in sun plants and prolonged leaf function in shade plants. These results have implications for the carbon economy of seedlings and the regeneration of red oak under global change conditions.     

Carbon fluxes in the rhizosphere of sweet chestnut seedlings (Castanea sativa) grown under two atmospheric CO2 concentrations: 14C partitioning after pulse labelling

Partitioning of ¹⁴C was assessed in sweet chestnut seedlings (Castanea sativa Mill.) grown in ambient and elevated atmospheric [CO₂] environments during two vegetative cycles. The seedlings were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ atmosphere in both high and low [CO₂] environments for a 6-day pulse period under controlled laboratory conditions. Six days after exposure to ¹⁴CO₂, the plants were harvested, their dry mass and the radioactivity were evaluated. ¹⁴C concentration in plant tissues, root-soil system respiratory outputs and soil residues (rhizodeposition) were measured. Root production and rhizodeposition were increased in plants growing in elevated atmospheric [CO₂]. When measuring total respiration, i.e. CO₂ released from the root/soil system, it is difficult to separate CO₂ originating from roots and that coming from the rhizospheric microflora. For this reason a model accounting for kinetics of exudate mineralization was used to estimate respiration of rhizospheric microflora and roots separately. Root activity (respiration and exudation) was increased at the higher atmospheric CO₂ concentration. The proportion attributed to root respiration accounted for 70 to 90% of the total respiration. Microbial respiration was related to the amount of organic carbon available in the rhizosphere and showed a seasonal variation dependent upon the balance of root exudation and respiration. The increased carbon assimilated by plants grown under elevated atmospheric [CO₂] stayed equally distributed between these increased root activities. ei]H Lambers     

Zur Analyse des CO2-Austausches von Bryophyllum

Summary Starch consumption during the dark period in detached phyllodia of Bryophyllum tubiflorum is inhibited, when the phyllodia are held in an atmosphere free from carbon dioxide during the night. This is true also in other succulent plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism=CAM (examined were Bryophyllum calycinum and Sedum morganianum). This effect seems to indicate that the role of starch in CAM is production of CO₂ acceptors rather than production of carbon dioxide by respiration. If the CO₂ acceptors are not used, starch consumption comes to an end.This hypothesis could also explain results of experiments in which phyllodia were held at different temperatures during the dark period, and net CO₂ fixation, starch loss and malate gain were determined. At 10° CO₂ uptake was at a maximum (the necessary supply of CO₂ acceptors must have therefore been at a maximum, too). Under these conditions there was the greatest amount of starch consumption. At 23° C, CO₂ uptake was clearly lowered, and this was also true for starch consumption. At 35° C net CO₂ uptake was balanced by net CO₂, output (no CO₂ acceptors were needed in CO₂ dark fixation). At this temperature no starch loss could be measured.     

Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) allomone response to cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, in a closed-dynamics CO(2) chamber (CDCC)

Allocation of allomones of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis Gossypium hirsutum (Bt cotton) (cv. GK-12) and non-Bt-transgenic cotton (cv. Simian-3) grown in elevated CO₂ in response to infestation by cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, was studied in a closed-dynamics CO₂ chamber. Significant increases in foliar condensed tannin and carbon/nitrogen ratio for GK-12 and Simian-3 were observed in elevated CO₂ relative to ambient CO_2, as partially supported by the carbon nutrient balance hypothesis, owing to limiting nitrogen and excess carbon in cotton plants in response to elevated CO₂. The CO₂ level significantly influenced the foliar nutrients and allomones in the cotton plants. Aphid infestation significantly affected foliar nitrogen and allomone compounds in the cotton plants. Allomone allocation patterns in transgenic Bt cotton infested by A. gossypii may have broader implications across a range of plant and herbivorous insects as CO₂ continues to rise. Gang Wu and Fa Jun Chen contributed equally to this work.     

Nitrogenase activity and N2 fixation are stimulated by elevated CO2 in a tropical N2-fixing tree

 Seeds of Gliricidia sepium, a fast-growing woody legume native to seasonal tropical forests of Central America, were inoculated with N₂-fixing Rhizobium bacteria and grown in environmentally controlled glasshouses for 67–71 days under ambient CO₂ (35 Pa) and elevated CO₂ (70 Pa) conditions. Seedlings were watered with an N-free, but otherwise complete, nutrient solution such that bacterial N₂ fixation was the only source of N available to the plant. The primary objective of our study was to quantify the effect of CO₂ enrichment on the kinetics of photosynthate transport to nodules and determine its subsequent effect on N₂ fixation. Photosynthetic rates and carbon storage in leaves were higher in elevated CO₂ plants indicating that more carbon was available for transport to nodules. A ¹⁴CO₂ pulse-chase experiment demonstrated that photosynthetically fixed carbon was supplied by leaves to nodules at a faster rate when plants were grown in elevated CO₂. Greater rates of carbon supply to nodules did not affect nodule mass per plant, but did increase specific nitrogenase activity (SNA) and total nitrogenase activity (TNA) resulting in greater N₂ fixation. In fact, a 23% increase in the rate of carbon supplied to nodules coincided with a 23% increase in SNA for plants grown in elevated CO₂, suggesting a direct correlation between carbon supply and nitrogenase activity. The improvement in plant N status produced much larger plants when grown in elevated CO₂. These results suggest that Gliricidia, and possibly other N₂-fixing trees, may show an early and positive growth response to elevated CO₂, even in severely N-deficient soils, due to increased nitrogenase activity. Received: 27 February 1996 / Accepted: 19 June 1996     

Feeding behavior,life history,and virus transmission ability of Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) under elevated CO2

The continuous rise of CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere is reducing plant nutritional quality for herbivores and indirectly affects their performance. The whitefly (Bemisia tabaci, Gennadius) is a major worldwide pest of agricultural crops causing significant yield losses. This study investigated the plant‐mediated indirect effects of elevated CO₂ on the feeding behavior and life history of B. tabaci Mediterranean species. Eggplants were grown under elevated and ambient CO₂ concentrations for 3 weeks after which plants were either used to monitor the feeding behavior of whiteflies using the Electrical Penetration Graph technique or to examine fecundity and fertility of whiteflies. Plant leaf carbon, nitrogen, phenols and protein contents were also analyzed for each treatment. Bemisia tabaci feeding on plants exposed to elevated CO₂ showed a longer phloem ingestion and greater fertility compared to those exposed to ambient CO₂ suggesting that B. tabaci is capable of compensating for the plant nutritional deficit. Additionally, this study looked at the transmission of the virus Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (Begomovirus) by B. tabaci exposing source and receptor tomato plants to ambient or elevated CO₂ levels before or after virus transmission tests. Results indicate that B. tabaci transmitted the virus at the same rate independent of the CO₂ levels and plant treatment. Therefore, we conclude that B. tabaci Mediterranean species prevails over the difficulties that changes in CO₂ concentrations may cause and it is predicted that under future climate change conditions, B. tabaci would continue to be considered a serious threat for agriculture worldwide.     

Physiological Impacts of Elevated CO2 Concentration Ranging from Molecular to Whole Plant Responses

The dynamics of the terrestrial ecosystems depend on interactions between a number of biogeochemical cycles (i.e. carbon, nutrient, and hydrological cycles) that may be modified by human actions. Conversely, terrestrial ecosystems are important components of these cycles that create the sources and sinks of important greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide). Especially, carbon is exchanged naturally among these ecosystems and the atmosphere through photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and combustion processes. Continuous increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration has led to extensive research over the last two decades, during which more then 1 400 scientific papers describing impacts of elevated [CO₂] (EC) on photosynthesis have been published. However, the degree of response is very variable, depending on species, growing conditions, mineral nutrition, and duration of CO₂ enrichment. In this review, I have summarised the major physiological responses of plants, in particular of trees, to EC including molecular and primary, especially photosynthetic, physiological responses. Likewise, secondary (photosynthate translocation and plant water status) and tertiary whole plant responses including also plant to plant competition are shown.     

The influence of light,darkness and changes in co2 and o2 concentration in die atmosphere on growth and gas exchange in pea (Pisum sativum)

When compared with the control plants, the increase in dry weight in the growing parts of germinating plants ofPisum sativum L., cultivated in a closed atmosphere in darkness or light is heavily inhibited. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the closed atmosphere increased in 60 mg CO₂/per 1 g of the final dry weight of plants after 10 days. Similar results were obtained with older plants under similar conditions. The Knop solution caused a slight increase of dry weight in the growing parts of plants, but did not change considerably the relations in gas exchange. The results show that even plants which are able to photosynthetize, are only transpiring under the above conditions; first, when the plants were devoid of cotyledons, as storage organs, the changes in their dry weight (but not the changes in the CO₂ and O₂ exchange in a closed atmosphere) seemed to show photosynthetic income of CO₂ (while its concentration increased to 3–6 volume %) when compared with the control. From the above results follows that quantative relations between photosynthesis respiration cannot be solved by analysing the gas exchange in a closed atmosphere.     

Atmospheric CO2, plant nitrogen status and the susceptibility of plants to an acute increase in temperature

Abstract. Elevated levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere are expected to affect plant performance and may alter global temperature patterns. Changes in mean air temperatures that might be induced by rising levels of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases could also be accompanied by increased variability in daily temperatures such that acute increases in air temperature may be more likely than at present. Consequently, we investigated whether plants grown in a CO₂ enriched atmosphere would be differently affected by a heat shock than plants grown at ambient CO₂ levels. Plants of a C₃ annual (Abutilon theophrasti), a C₃ annual crop (Sinapis alba) and a C₄ annual (Amaranthus retroflexus) were grown from seed in growth chambers under either 400 or 700cm³ m^?3 CO₂, and were fertilized with either a high or low nutrient regime. Young seedlings of S. alba, as well as plants of all species in either the vegetative or reproductive phase of growth were exposed to a 4-h heat shock in which the temperature was raised an additional 14–23°C (depending on plant age). Total biomass and reproductive biomass were examined to determine the effect of CO₂, nutrient and heat shock treatments on plant performance. Heat shock, CO₂, and nutrient treatments, all had some significant effects on plant performance, but plants from both CO₂ treatments responded similarly to heat shocks. We also found, as expected, that plants grown under high CO₂ had dramatically decreased tissue N concentrations relative to plants grown under ambient conditions. We predicted that high-CO₂-grown plants would be more susceptible to a heat shock than ambient-CO₂-grown plants, because the reduced N concentrations of high-CO₂ grown plants could result in the reduced synthesis of heat shock proteins and reduced thermotolerance. Although we did not examine heat shock proteins, our results showed little relationship between plant nitrogen status and the ability of a plant to tolerate an acute increase in temperature.     

Free air carbon dioxide enrichment: development,progress, results

Credible predictions of climate change depend in part on predictions of future CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere. Terrestrial plants are a large sink for atmospheric CO₂ and the sink rate is influenced by the atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Reliable field experiments are needed to evaluate how terrestrial plants will adjust to increasing CO₂ and thereby influence the rate of change of atmospheric CO₂. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has developed a unique Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) system for a cooperative research program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Agriculture, currently operating as the FACE User Facility at the Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) of the University of Arizona. The BNL FACE system is a tool for studying the effects of CO₂ enrichment on vegetation and natural ecosystems, and the exchange of carbon between the biosphere and the atmosphere, in open-air settings without any containment. The FACE system provides stable control of CO₂ at 550 ppm ±10%, based on 1-min averages, over 90% of the time. In 1990, this level of control was achieved over an area as large as 380 m², at an annual operating cost of $668 m^–2. During two field seasons of enrichment with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) as the test plant, enrichment to 550 ppm CO₂ resulted in significant increases in photosynthesis and biomass of leaves, stems and roots, reduced evapotranspiration, and changes in root morphology. In addition, soil respiration increased and evapotranspiration decreased.