skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Homeostatic Adjustment of Loblolly Pine to CO2 Enrichment

Abstract

We found that exposure of an intact pine forest (Duke FACTS1 experiment) to an increase in atmospheric CO2 of 200 ul(sup -1) operating through a sustained increase of photosynthesis, caused a 27% increase in net primary production and a 41% stimulation in net ecosystem production. A stimulation of this magnitude would store ~10% of the fossil fuel CO2 in the atmosphere by the year 2050. This series of physiological measurements provided new insights into processes regulating the forest carbon cycle under elevated CO2. Combined with ongoing measurements of tree growth data from this research contributes to a dynamic forest carbon budget that provides a benchmark for other modeling and empirical studies.

Publication Date:
Research Org.:
WVU Research Corporation
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE - Office of Energy Research (ER)
OSTI Identifier:
899939
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-95ER62124
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; BENCHMARKS; CARBON; CARBON CYCLE; ECOSYSTEMS; FORESTS; FOSSIL FUELS; PHOTOSYNTHESIS; PINES; PRODUCTION; SIMULATION; STIMULATION; TREES

Citation Formats

NONE. Homeostatic Adjustment of Loblolly Pine to CO2 Enrichment. United States: N. p., 2003. Web. doi:10.2172/899939.
Copy to clipboard
NONE. Homeostatic Adjustment of Loblolly Pine to CO2 Enrichment. United States. doi:10.2172/899939.
Copy to clipboard
NONE. Sat . "Homeostatic Adjustment of Loblolly Pine to CO2 Enrichment". United States. doi:10.2172/899939. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/899939.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_899939,
title = {Homeostatic Adjustment of Loblolly Pine to CO2 Enrichment},
author = {NONE},
abstractNote = {We found that exposure of an intact pine forest (Duke FACTS1 experiment) to an increase in atmospheric CO2 of 200 ul(sup -1) operating through a sustained increase of photosynthesis, caused a 27% increase in net primary production and a 41% stimulation in net ecosystem production. A stimulation of this magnitude would store ~10% of the fossil fuel CO2 in the atmosphere by the year 2050. This series of physiological measurements provided new insights into processes regulating the forest carbon cycle under elevated CO2. Combined with ongoing measurements of tree growth data from this research contributes to a dynamic forest carbon budget that provides a benchmark for other modeling and empirical studies.},
doi = {10.2172/899939},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 2003},
month = {Sat Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 2003}
}
Copy to clipboard
Technical Report:
View Technical Report (0.33 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/899939
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

  • ;
    This report covers the results of a long-term project with the primary objective of developing and testing hypotheses on the environmental and physiological controls of loblolly pine response to atmospheric CO{sub 2} enrichment. Earlier research under DOE funding had provided information from loblolly pine and other plant species which allowed the development of specific hypotheses. Phase 1 of this research was a two year pot study of loblolly seedlings to determine the interaction of CO{sub 2} enrichment with soil nutrition. Phase 2 began with the enrichment of loblolly seedlings being grown in the ground, rather than pots, and continued throughmore » December 1995. Phase 3 began in April 1994 with the enrichment of undisturbed Piedmont North Carolina old field undergoing succession, including herbaceous annual plants, perennial grasses, and loblolly pine tree seedlings. Phase 3 was designed to gather preliminary information on a regenerating loblolly forest to be used for the development of hypotheses and measurement techniques for a long-term Free Air CO{sub 2} Enrichment (FACE) study of regenerating forest in Duke Forest.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    A functional understanding of terrestrial ecosystem carbon processes is essential for two reasons. First, carbon flow is a most fundamental aspects of ecosystem function as it mediates most of the energy flow in these systems. Second, carbon flow also mediates the majority of energy flow in the global economy and will do for the foreseeable future. The increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and its inevitable flow through global ecosystems will influence ecosystem processes. There is, of course, great interest in the potential of ecosystems to sequester some of the carbon being loaded into the atmosphere by economic activity.

  • ; ; ; ...
    A continuing decline in stratospheric ozone concentrations caused by atmospheric pollutants has stimulated interest in consequences of increased penetration of ultraviolet-B radiation to the surface of the earth. The authors examined the effect of supplemental UV-B (290-320 nm) on photosynthetic characteristics of different aged needles of 3-year-old, field-grown loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Needles in four age classes were examined: (1) most recently fully expanded, year 3; (2) first flush, year 3; (3) final flush, year 2; and (4) oldest needles still present, year 2. Enhanced UV-B radiation caused a statistically significant decrease (6%) in the ratio of variable tomore » maximum fluorescence (F sub v)/(F sub m) following dark adaption only in needles from the youngest age class, suggesting transient damage to photosynthesis. Exposure to enhanced UV-B radiation caused a 20% decrease in total biomass and a 4% decrease in needle length of needles in age classes 1, 2, and 4, respectivly.« less

  • Areas in a 4-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation were treated with aerially applied Roundup (glyphosate), Pronone 10G (hexazinone), and Velpar L (hexazinone) plus Lo Drift (a spray additive). All herbicides were applied with appropriate helicopter-mounted equipment. The proportion of free-to-grow pine trees increased over a 2-year period in both the treated and untreated areas, but the increase was slightly greater in the treated areas. Final loblolly pine height, d.b.h., and volume per tree did not differ significantly among the four treatments. About 1,200 hardwood trees and 4,700 shrubs over 3 ft tall per acre were present at themore » beginning of the study.« less

  • ;
    A method for developing thinning schedules using a density-management diagram is presented. A density-management diagram is a form of stocking chart based on patterns of natural stand development. The diagram allows rotation diameter and the upper and lower limits of growing stock to be easily transformed into before and after thinning densities. Site height lines on the diagram together with site index curves then allow the timing of thinnings to be specified. Intermediate and final harvest volumes are calculated with a growth and yield simulator capable of recovering the diameter distribution within the plantation. The development of thinning schedules bymore » this method is illustrated for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations.« less