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Germination of CO 2 ‐enriched Pinus taeda L. seeds and subsequent seedling growth responses to CO 2 enrichment
Author(s) -
Hussain M.,
Kubiske M. E.,
Connor K. F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2001.00521.x
Subject(s) - germination , seedling , biology , nutrient , biomass (ecology) , photosynthesis , greenhouse , pinus <genus> , horticulture , botany , agronomy , ecology
Summary1 Pinus taeda seeds, developed under ambient or elevated (ambient + 200 µl l −1 ) [CO 2 ], were collected from Duke Forest, North Carolina, USA in October 1998. Seeds were germinated in nutrient‐deficient soil in either ambient or elevated [CO 2 ] (ambient + 200 µl l −1 ) greenhouse chambers and allowed to grow for 120 days. 2 Seeds that developed in elevated [CO 2 ] had 91 and 265% greater weight and lipid content, respectively, and three times the germination success, compared to those developed in current ambient [CO 2 ]. 3 Seedlings from the elevated [CO 2 ] seed source had significantly greater root length and more needles regardless of greenhouse chamber, but there were no treatment effects on tissue or total biomass. 4 Severely limiting nutrient conditions resulted in significant photosynthetic downregulation by seedlings grown in greenhouse chambers with elevated [CO 2 ], regardless of seed source. 5 Our hypothesis that greater seed reserves from CO 2 enrichment would synergistically affect seedling growth responses to elevated [CO 2 ] was not strongly supported. Nonetheless, seeds produced in a CO 2 ‐enriched environment may have fundamental changes in their viability, chemistry and germination that may affect reproduction.