Elevated CO{sub 2} reduces high temperature stress in yellow birch
- Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States)
- Acadia Univ., Nova Scotia (Canada)
We investigated the growth, architectural development, and physiology of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) seedlings raised under two day/night temperature regimes (21/26{degrees}C and 26/31{degrees}C), and in ambient and elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations (400 and 800 {mu}l 1-1). At the end of one year of growth, total seedling biomass was significantly reduced by high temperature, but stimulated by elevated CO{sub 2}. However, temperature-induced growth reductions were substantially lower in high (27%) vs. low (53%) CO{sub 2}, reflecting a significant CO{sub 2} x temperature interaction. While a number of physiological parameters were recorded throughout the growing season, including in situ leaf net photosynthesis, leaf dark respiration, leaf photorespiration, and whole plant allocation patterns, growth responses were best correlated with whole shoot dark respiration and whole plant transpiration rates. High temperature stimulated whole shoot respiration rates by 64% at low CO{sub 2}, but by only 12% at high CO{sub 2}. Similarly, whole plant transpiration rates were increased by temperature and reduced by elevated CO{sub 2}, but temperature-induced water losses were significantly lower at elevated CO{sub 2}. Thus predictions of forest responses to global climate change must consider that elevated CO{sub 2} can substantially modify species responses to high temperatures.
- OSTI ID:
- 107152
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9507129-; ISSN 0012-9623; TRN: 95:006512-0068
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, Vol. 76, Issue 3; Conference: 80. anniversary of the transdisciplinary nature of ecology, Snowbird, UT (United States), 30 Jul - 3 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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