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Effects of climate change on labile and structural carbon in Douglas‐fir needles as estimated by δ 13 C and C area measurements
Author(s) -
HOBBIE ERIC A.,
GREGG JILLIAN,
OLSZYK DAVID M.,
RYGIEWICZ PAUL T.,
TINGEY DAVID T.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2486.2002.00541.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , evergreen , photosynthesis , douglas fir , respiration , carbon fibers , mesocosm , zoology , carbon sink , carbon dioxide , botany , horticulture , nutrient , ecology , biology , climate change , biochemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , composite number , composite material
Models of photosynthesis, respiration, and export predict that foliar labile carbon (C) should increase with elevated CO 2 but decrease with elevated temperature. Sugars, starch, and protein can be compared between treatments, but these compounds make up only a fraction of the total labile pool. Moreover, it is difficult to assess the turnover of labile carbon between years for evergreen foliage. Here, we combined changes in foliar C area (C concentration on an areal basis) as needles aged with changes in foliar isotopic composition (δ 13 C) caused by inputs of 13 C‐depleted CO 2 to estimate labile and structural C in needles of different ages in a four‐year, closed‐chamber mesocosm experiment in which Douglas‐fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings were exposed to elevated temperature (ambient + 3.5 °C) and CO 2 (ambient + 179 ppm). Declines in δ 13 C of needle cohorts as they aged indicated incorporation of newly fixed labile or structural carbon. The δ 13 C calculations showed that new C was 41 ± 2% and 28 ± 3% of total needle carbon in second‐ and third‐year needles, respectively, with higher proportions of new C in elevated than ambient CO 2 chambers (e.g. 42 ± 2% vs. 37 ± 6%, respectively, for second‐year needles). Relative to ambient CO 2 , elevated CO 2 increased labile C in both first‐ and second‐year needles. Relative to ambient temperature, elevated temperature diminished labile C in second‐year needles but not in first‐year needles, perhaps because of differences in sink strength between the two needle age classes. We hypothesize that plant‐soil feedbacks on nitrogen supply contributed to higher photosynthetic rates under elevated temperatures that partly compensated for higher turnover rates of labile C. Strong positive correlations between labile C and sugar concentrations suggested that labile C was primarily determined by carbohydrates. Labile C was negatively correlated with concentrations of cellulose and protein. Elevated temperature increased foliar %C, possibly due to a shift of labile constituents from low %C carbohydrates to relatively high %C protein. Decreased sugar concentrations and increased nitrogen concentrations with elevated temperature were consistent with this explanation. Because foliar constituents that vary in isotopic signature also vary in concentrations with leaf age or environmental conditions, inferences of c i / c a values from δ 13 C of bulk leaf tissue should be done cautiously. Tracing of 13 C through foliar carbon pools may provide new insight into foliar C constituents and turnover.