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Leaf anatomy of four species grown under continuous CO/sub 2/ enrichment

Journal Article · · Bot. Gaz. (Chicago); (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/337377· OSTI ID:6328554

The effects of continuous, atmospheric CO/sub 2/ enrichment on leaf anatomy and morphology were examined for corn, soybean, loblolly pine, and sweet gum. Plants were exposed to constantly monitored CO/sub 2/ levels of 340, 520, 718, and 910 ppM throughout the growing season in the field. Samples obtained from fully expanded leaves were subjected to routine anatomical procedures, sectioned transversely at 10 ..mu..m, and measured for total thickness and thicknesses of epidermal, palisade, and spongy mesophyll layers. Epidermal peels and scanning electron microscopy were used to observe possible changes in leaf surfaces. Significant increases were measured in leaf thickness for the three C/sub 3/, species under enriched CO/sub 2/ conditions, but not for corn, a C/sub 4/ plant. The influence of CO/sub 2/ treatment on changes in stomatal indices was not significant, and there were no clear patterns in variation of stomatal frequency among treatments. Chloroplasts in leaf tissues of plants from CO/sub 2/-enriched treatments appeared denser and were more deeply stained by the crystal violet. 19 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs.

Research Organization:
Department of Botany, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27650
OSTI ID:
6328554
Journal Information:
Bot. Gaz. (Chicago); (United States), Journal Name: Bot. Gaz. (Chicago); (United States) Vol. 144:3; ISSN BOGAA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English