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Leaf conductance decreased under free‐air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) for three perennials in the Nevada desert
Author(s) -
Nowak Robert S.,
DeFalco Lesley A.,
Wilcox Carolyn S.,
Jordan Dean N.,
Coleman James S.,
Seemann Jeffrey R.,
Smith Stanley D.
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.1469-8137.2001.00102.x
Subject(s) - larrea , perennial plant , tussock , stomatal conductance , conductance , arid , zygophyllaceae , horticulture , chemistry , prosopis glandulosa , zoology , shrub , agronomy , botany , biology , photosynthesis , ecology , woody plant , mathematics , combinatorics
Summary•  A common response of plants to elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentration (CO 2 ) is decreased leaf conductance. Consequently, leaf temperature is predicted to increase under elevated CO 2 . •  Diurnal patterns of leaf conductance and temperature were measured for three desert perennials, the C 3 shrub Larrea tridentata , C 3 tussock grass Achnatherum hymenoides and C 4 tussock grass Pleuraphis rigida , at the Nevada Desert FACE facility. Measurements were made on ambient and c . 550 µmol mol −1 CO 2 plots through both a wet and dry year. •  Reductions in conductance were 35%, 20% and 13% for Pleuraphis , Achnatherum and Larrea , respectively. Decreased conductance occurred throughout the day only for Pleuraphis . Both C 3 species had smaller CO 2 effects during dry periods than wet. Leaf temperature did not differ significantly between elevated and ambient CO 2 for any species. Comparisons of blower‐control and nonring plots indicated that the FACE apparatus did not confound our results. •  All three species exhibited decreased leaf conductance under elevated CO 2 , although reductions were not uniform during the day or among years. Nonetheless, leaf energy balance was only minimally changed for these microphyllous desert perennials.

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