Effects of CO[sub 2] and temperature on growth and resource use of co-occurring C[sub 3] and C[sub 4] annuals

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Ecology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1940673· OSTI ID:7177789

Coleman, J S; Bazzaz, F A ^[1]

---

1. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (United States)

The authors examined how CO[sub 2] concentrations and temperature interacted to affect growth, resource acquisition, and resource allocation of two annual plants that were supplied with a single pulse of nutrients. Physiological and growth measurements were made on individuals of Abutilon throphrasti (C[sub 3]) and Amaranthus retroflexus (C[sub 4]) grown in environments with atmospheric CO[sub 2] levels of 400 or 700 [mu]L/L and with light/dark temperatures of 28[degree]/22[degree] or 38[degree]/31[degree] C. Elevated CO[sub 2] and temperature treatments had significant independent and interactive effects on plant growth, resource allocation, and resource acquisition, and the strength and direction of these effects were often dependent on plant species. For example, final biomass of Amaranthus was enhanced by elevated CO[sub 2] at 28[degree] but was depressed at 38[degree]. For Abutilon, elevated CO[sub 2] increased initial plant relative growth rates at 28[degree] but not at 38[degree], and had no significant effects on final biomass at either temperature. These results are interpreted in light of the interactive effects of CO[sub 2] and temperature on the rates of net leaf area production and loss, and on net whole-plant nitrogen retention. At 28[degree]C, elevated CO[sub 2] stimulated the initial production of leaf area in both species, which led to an initial stimulation of biomass accumulation at the higher CO[sub 2] level. However, in elevated CO[sub 2] at 28[degree], the rate of net leaf area loss for Abutilon increased while that of Amaranthus decreased. Furthermore, high CO[sub 2] apparently enhanced the ability of Amaranthus to retain nitrogen at this temperature, which may have helped to enhance photosynthesis, whereas nitrogen retention was unaffected in Abutilon.

• OSTI ID: 7177789
• Journal Information: Ecology; (United States), Vol. 73:4; ISSN 0012-9658
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
C4 SPECIES
PLANT GROWTH
CALVIN CYCLE SPECIES
CARBON DIOXIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION
GENETIC VARIABILITY
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
GROWTH
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
290301 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety- Regional & Global Environmental Aspects- (1992-)