Comparison of gas use efficiency and treatment uniformity in a forest ecosystem exposed to elevated [CO2] using pure and prediluted free-air CO2 enrichment technology

A direct comparison of treatment uniformity and CO₂ use of pure and prediluted free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) systems was conducted in a forest ecosystem. A vertical release pure CO₂ fumigation system was superimposed on an existing prediluted CO₂ fumigation system and operated on alternate days. The FACE system using prediluted CO₂ fumigation technology exhibited less temporal and spatial variability than the pure CO₂ fumigation system. The pure CO₂ fumigation system tended to over-fumigate the upwind portions of the plot and used 25% more CO₂ than the prediluted CO₂ fumigation system. The increased CO₂ use by the pure CO₂ system was exacerbated at low wind speeds. It is not clear if this phenomenon will also be observed in plots with smaller diameters and low-stature vegetation.     

The growth response of C4 plants to rising atmospheric CO2 partial pressure: a reassessment

Despite mounting evidence showing that C₄ plants can accumulate more biomass at elevated CO₂ partial pressure (p(CO₂)), the underlying mechanisms of this response are still largely unclear. In this paper, we review the current state of knowledge regarding the response of C₄ plants to elevated p(CO₂) and discuss the likely mechanisms. We identify two main routes through which elevated p(CO₂) can stimulate the growth of both well-watered and water-stressed C₄ plants. First, through enhanced leaf CO₂ assimilation rates due to increased intercellular p(CO₂). Second, through reduced stomatal conductance and subsequently leaf transpiration rates. Reduced transpiration rates can stimulate leaf CO₂ assimilation and growth rates by conserving soil water, improving shoot water relations and increasing leaf temperature. We argue that bundle sheath leakiness, direct CO₂ fixation in the bundle sheath or the presence of C₃-like photosynthesis in young C₄ leaves are unlikely explanations for the high CO₂-responsiveness of C₄ photosynthesis. The interactions between elevated p(CO₂), leaf temperature and shoot water relations on the growth and photosynthesis of C₄ plants are identified as key areas needing urgent research.     

An inexpensive system for exposing plants in the field to elevated concentrations of CO2

An inexpensive, potentially mobile field exposure system is described which may be easily constructed by a small workshop. It may be operated as an open-top with a frustrum or covered with a polycarbonate ‘lid’. The system is cost-effective for CO₂ exposure work because the small size allows provision of CO₂-enriched atmospheres over prolonged periods at relatively low cost. A preliminary assessment of the chambers has been made and concentrations can be maintained at ±6% for a target atmosphere of 680 cm³ m^?3 CO₂ under normal operating conditions. Other chamber environmental conditions are reported.     

The influence of elevated CO2 on community structure, biomass and carbon balance of mediterranean old-fleld microcosms

We studied the effects of a doubling of atmospheric CO₂ concentration on intact monoliths of Mediterranean grassland in growth chambers where climatic field conditions were simulated. During the six month growing season, changes in community structure were monitored by quantifying species richness and cover. The CO₂ exchange of microcosms was measured continuously and the resulting quantity and quality of biomass were evaluated. Species richness and cover did not respond to elevated CO₂. After one month of treatment, CO₂ exchange measured during the day did not differ between CO₂ levels but the night respiration was two-fold higher under elevated CO₂. Stimulations of both day and night CO₂ flux by short-term CO₂ enrichment were recorded several times during the growing season. These results suggest that despite some downward adjustment of photosynthesis, net canopy photosynthesis was stimulated by elevated CO₂, but this stimulation was compensated for by an increased respiration. The 20% stimulation of final phytomass under elevated CO₂ was not significant: it resulted from unchanged live plant matter but a significant, 100% increase in litter accumulation. These results suggest that in low-productivity Mediterranean herbaceous systems, the greatest effect of CO₂ is not on the storage of carbon in biomass but on the turnover of the carbon in the plants.     

全球CO2浓度变化与植物的化感作用

ＣＯ２浓度升高会使植物同化物在体内的含量和分配发生变化,这种变化会影响到植物的某些生理代谢功能,进而影响植物次生代谢物质的形成和分泌,就大气ＣＯ２浓度升高和温度增加将如何影响植物叶片及根系次生代谢物、化感物质、植物残体腐解以及化感作用进行了论述,同时针对目前研究现状和未来可持续农业的需要提出了大气ＣＯ２浓度变化下植物化感作用的优先研究领域。     

Nitrogen nutrition of C3 plants at elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations

The atmospheric CO₂ concentration has risen from the preindustrial level of approximately 290 μl l⁻¹ to more than 350 μl l⁻¹ in 1993. The current rate of rise is such that concentrations of 420 μl l⁻¹ are expected in the next 20 years. For C₃ plants, higher CO₂ levels favour the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle over the photorespiratory cycle, resulting in higher rates of carbohydrate production and plant productivity. The change in balance between the two photosynthetic cycles appears to alter nitrogen and carbon metabolism in the leaf, possibly causing decreases in nitrogen concentrations in the leaf. This may result from increases in the concentration of storage carbohydrates of high molecular weight (soluble or insoluble) and/or changes in distribution of protein or other nitrogen containing compounds. Uptake of nitrogen may also be reduced at high CO₂ due to lower transpiration rates. Decreases in foliar nitrogen levels have important implications for production of crops such as wheat, because fertilizer management is often based on leaf chemical analysis, using standards estimated when the CO₂ levels were considerably lower. These standards will need to be re-evaluated as the CO₂ concentration continues to rise. Lower levels of leaf nitrogen will also have implications for the quality of wheat grain produced, because it is likely that less nitrogen would be retranslocated during grain filling.     

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus availability on the growth response of Eucalyptus grandis to high CO2

The response of Eucalyptus grandis seedlings to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations was examined by growing seedlings at either 340 or 660 n mol CO₂ mol^-1 for 6 weeks. Graded increments of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers were added to a soil deficient in these nutrients to establish if the growth response to increasing nutrient availability was affected by CO₂ concentration. At 660 μmol CO₂ mol^-1, seedling dry weight was up to five times greater than at 340 μmol CO₂ mol^-1. The absolute response was largest when both nitrogen and phosphorus availability was high but the relative increase in dry weight was greatest at low phosphorus availability. At 340 μmol CO₂ mol^-1 and high nitrogen availability, growth was stimulated by addition of phosphorus up to 76 mg kg 1 soil. Further additions of phosphorus had little effect. However, at 660 μmol CO₂ mol^-1, growth only began to plateau at a phosphorus addition rate of 920mg kg^-1 soil. At 340 μmol CO₂ mol^-1 and high phosphorus availability, increasing nitrogen from 40 to 160mg kg^-1 soil had little effect on plant growth. At high CO₂, growth reached a maximum at between 80 and 160mg nitrogen kg^-1 soil. Total uptake of phosphorus was greater at high CO₂ concentration at all fertilizer addition rates, but nitrogen uptake was either lower or unchanged at high CO₂ concentration except at the highest nitrogen fertilizer rate. The shoot to root ratio was increased by CO₂ enrichment, primarily because the specific leaf weight was greater. The nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in the foliage was lower at elevated CO₂ concentration partly because of the higher specific leaf weight. These results indicate that critical foliar concentrations currently used to define nutritional status and fertilizer management may need to be reassessed as the atmospheric CO₂ concentration rises.     

开放式空气CO2浓度升高与作物/杂草的竞争关系

CO2浓度升高对植物的光合作用、呼吸作用和水分利用等生理过程产生直接影响,进而影响植物的生长繁殖,CO2浓度升高对于具有C3光合途径的植物较具C4光合途径的植物更为有益,由于许多重要的杂草是C4植物,而许多重要的作用是C3植物,CO2浓度升高对杂草/作物的相互关系将有重要影响,本文就全球CO2浓度升高和气候变化对杂草/作物之间竞争关系影响进行综述,同时针对目前研究现状和可持续农业的需要,提出CO2学浓度升高条件下杂草/作物之间竞争关系及未来农田杂草治理方面理论与实践中有待解决的问题。     

Carbohydrate metabolism enzymes in CO2-enriched developing rice grains of cultivars varying in grain size

The increased supply of photosynthate from maternal tissue is known to promote grain growth in several crop species. However, the effect of increasing photosynthate supply on grain growth receives little attention in rice. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of increasing photosynthate supply through CO₂ enrichment (650 μl I_-1) on grain growth in three rice cultivars differing in grain size. CO₂ enrichment was applied to the pot-grown plants between anthesis and final harvest. The results indicated that high CO₂ treatment enhanced the CO₂ exchange rate of leaf tissue, and subsequently increased the sucrose level of peduncle exudate, but it did not promote starch accumulation in the developing grains. This phenomenon was linked to the poor CO₂ responses for the grain activities of sucrose synthase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, and starch synthases involved in the conversion of sucrose to starch. Significant cultivar differences also existed for the activities of sucrose to starch conversion enzymes with larger grain size cultivars tending to have higher enzymes activities (expressed on a grain basis), resulting in a greater carbohydrate accumulation.     

Photosynthetic acclimation of maize to growth under elevated levels of carbon dioxide

The effects of elevated CO₂ concentrations on the photochemistry, biochemistry and physiology of C₄ photosynthesis were studied in maize (Zea mays L.). Plants were grown at ambient (350 μL L⁻¹) or ca. 3 times ambient (1100 μL L⁻¹) CO₂ levels under high light conditions in a greenhouse for 30 d. Relative to plants grown at ambient CO₂ levels, plants grown under elevated CO₂ accumulated ca. 20% more biomass and 23% more leaf area. When measured at the CO₂ concentration of growth, mature leaves of high-CO₂-grown plants had higher light-saturated rates of photosynthesis (ca. 15%), lower stomatal conductance (71%), higher water-use efficiency (225%) and higher dark respiration rates (100%). High-CO₂-grown plants had lower carboxylation efficiencies (23%), measured under limiting CO₂, and lower leaf protein contents (22%). Activities of a number of C₃ and C₄ cycle enzymes decreased on a leaf-area basis in the high-CO₂-grown plants by 5–30%, with NADP-malate dehydrogenase exhibiting the greatest decrease. In contrast, activities of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase increased significantly under elevated CO₂ condition (8% and 36%, respectively). These data show that the C₄ plant maize may benefit from elevated CO₂ through acclimation in the capacities of certain photosynthetic enzymes. The increased capacity to synthesize sucrose and starch, and to utilize these end-products of photosynthesis to produce extra energy by respiration, may contribute to the enhanced growth of maize under elevated CO₂. Received: 30 April 1999 / Accepted: 17 June 1999     

Detecting potential regional effects of increased atmospheric CO2 on growth rates of western juniper

Evidence of an atmospheric CO₂ fertilization effect on radial growth rates was uncovered by examining climate–growth relationships for seven western juniper tree‐ring chronologies in central Oregon using multiple regression models. Consistent upward trends of the residuals from dendroclimatic models indicated a decreased ability for climate parameters to predict growth with time. Additionally, an assessment was made of whether enhanced growth was detectable under drought conditions, because a major benefit of elevated atmospheric CO₂ is the reduction of water stress. Mean ring indices were compared between ecologically comparable drought years, when atmospheric CO₂ was lower (1896–1949), and more recent drought years that occurred under higher atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (1950–96/98). The results presented herein show that: (i) residuals from climate/growth models had a significant positive trend at six of seven sites, suggesting the presence of a nonclimatic factor causing increased growth during recent decades; (ii) overall growth was 23% greater in the latter half of the 20th century; (iii) growth indices during matched drought and matched wet years were 63% and 30% greater, respectively, in the later 20th century than the earlier 20th century; and (iv) harsher sites had greater responses during drought periods between early and late periods. While it is not possible to rule out other factors, these results are consistent with expectations for CO₂ fertilization effects.