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Red spruce physiology and growth in response to elevated CO[sub 2], water stress and nutrient limitations

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5711234
Spruce-fir ecosystems of the eastern United States interest scientists because of reported changes in population growth. This research examined the growth and physical responses of red spruce seedlings (Picea rubens Sarg.) to change in atmospheric CO[sub 2], water and nutrient availability to determine the response of this species to potential climatic changes. Red spruce seedlings were grown from seed for 1 year in ambient (374 ppm) or elevated (713 ppm) CO[sub 2] in combination with low or high soil fertility treatment, and well-watered or water-stressed conditions. Red spruce seedlings grown with limited nutrient and water availability increased growth in elevated CO[sub 2] as did seedlings grown with high soil fertility treatment and ample water. At 12 months of age, elevated CO[sub 2]-grown seedlings had greater dry weight, height, diameter and specific leaf weight than ambient CO[sub 2[minus]] grown seedlings. Seedlings that formed a bud in elevated CO[sub 2] at 5 months of age produced more total fixed growth than seedlings grown in ambient CO[sub 2]. Mean relative growth rate was greater in elevated than ambient CO[sub 2]-grown seedlings only from 3 to 5 months of age. Growth was greater at 12 months despite a lower photosynthetic rate in elevated CO[sub 2]-growth seedlings compared to ambient CO[sub 2] grown seedlings. Transplanting seedlings from 175-cm[sup 3] pots into 646-cm[sup 3] pots at 7 months did not change growth and physiological responses to elevated CO[sub 2] at 12 months. Dry weight allocation patterns to leaf, stem and root were not influenced by growth in elevated CO[sub 2] for 1 year. Drought-conditioning had a greater influence on the physiological responses of red spruce to decreasing water potential than did growth in elevated CO[sub 2]. Results from this research suggest that red spruce seedlings will grow bigger faster in a future elevated CO[sub 2] atmosphere even if water and nutrients are limiting.
Research Organization:
Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
OSTI ID:
5711234
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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09 BIOMASS FUELS
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
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560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CONIFERS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
FERTILITY
FIRS
GROWTH
MOISTURE
NUTRIENTS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSIOLOGY
PINOPHYTA
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
SEEDLINGS
SOILS
SPRUCES
TREES