Effects of Elevated Co2 on Aboveground Growth in Seedlings of Four Dominant Quercus Species

Abstract

Abstract. Seedlings of four Quercus species dominant in Korea (Quercus mongolica, Quercus serrata, Quercus acutissima, and Quercus variabilis) were grown at different CO 2 levels (ambient; 380 ppmv and enriched; 800 ppmv) to determine growth responses under elevated CO 2 . Three weeks after germination, seedlings were transplanted into chambers and grown over a period of 105 days. Aboveground plant parts were harvested at the end of the experiment to measure dry weight, leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area ratio (LAR), leaf weight ratio (LWR), and leaf quality (carbon, nitrogen). Q. mongolica exhibited increased growth, Q. serrata and Q. acutissima did not respond to enrichment, and the growth of Q. variabilis was diminished with elevated CO 2 . Total aboveground biomass of each seedling increased by 31% for Q. mongolica, but for Q. variabilis, it decreased significantly by 39% under CO 2 -enriched conditions (p < 0.05). SLA and LAR decreased, and LWR was unchanged or decreased slightly in the elevated CO 2 treatment for all species, with the exception of Q. acutissima. In addition, the elevated CO 2 treatment was correlated with a decrease in total N concentrations, and an increase in the C/N ratio of the leaves of Q. mongolica and Q. acutissima. In conclusion, plant growth responses to elevated CO 2 were species-specific, and they showed large interspecific variation.

Interaction of Light Intensity and CO2 Concentration Alters Biomass Partitioning in Chrysanthemum

“…SLA value increased at e[CO2] and 75 µmol•m -2 •s -1 , but no significant effect was detected under higher light intensities. It has been reported that SLA decreased in response to e[CO2] in the four dominant Quercus species (Chae et al 2016) as well as in other species (Poorter & Navas 2003;Ainsworth & Long 2005), while the positive effect of e[CO2] and the temperature on the leaf area was recorded in Rosa hybrida (Pandey et al 2010). This contradiction allowed us to postulate that the effect of e[CO2] on plants could be modified by other factors including, temperature, growth habit, and light intensity.…”