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Leaf gas exchange responses of 13 prairie grassland species to elevated CO 2 and increased nitrogen supply
Author(s) -
Lee Tali D.,
Tjoelker Mark G.,
Ellsworth David S.,
Reich Peter B.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2001.00095.x
Subject(s) - perennial plant , photosynthesis , stomatal conductance , grassland , acclimatization , forb , monoculture , nitrogen , agronomy , growing season , biology , biomass (ecology) , botany , zoology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Summary• Leaf gas exchange responses to elevated CO 2 and N are presented for 13 perennial species, representing four functional groups: C 3 grasses, C 4 grasses, legumes, and nonleguminous forbs. Understanding how CO 2 and N effects interact is important to predict plant community response to global change.• Plants were field‐grown in monoculture under current ambient and elevated (560 µmol mol −1 ) CO 2 concentrations (free‐air CO 2 enrichment), in combination with soil N treatments, for two growing seasons.• All species, regardless of functional group, showed pronounced photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO 2 , resulting in minimal stimulation of photosynthesis ( A ) averaging +15% in C 3 grasses, +8% in forbs, +7% in legumes and −2% in C 4 grasses. The effects of CO 2 and soil N supply did not interact for any leaf traits measured. Elevated CO 2 consistently decreased stomatal conductance ( g s ) leading to 40% increase in A / g s .• This substantial acclimation of photosynthesis was greater in magnitude than in most field studies, and was associated with the combined effects of decreased g s and decreased leaf N concentrations in response to growth under elevated CO 2 .