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Respiration in a future, higher‐CO 2 world
Author(s) -
AMTHOR J. S.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1991.tb01367.x
Subject(s) - respiration , photorespiration , photosynthesis , respiration rate , carbon fixation , environmental chemistry , chemistry , botany , biology , environmental science
. Apart from its impact on global warming, the annually increasing atmospheric [CO 2 ] is of interest to plant scientists primarily because of its direct influence on photosynthesis and photorespiration in C 3 species. But in addition, ‘dark’ respiration, another major component of the carbon budget of higher plants, may be affected by a change in [CO 2 ] independent of an increase in temperature. Literature pertaining to an impact of [CO 2 ] on respiration rate is reviewed. With an increase in [CO 2 ], respiration rate is increased in some cases, but decreased in others. The effects of [CO 2 ] on respiration rate may be direct or indirect. Mechanisms responsible for various observations are proposed. These proposed mechanisms relate to changes in: (1) levels of nonstructural carbohydrates, (2) growth rate and structural phytomass accumulation, (3) composition of phytomass, (4) direct chemical interactions between CO 2 and respiratory enzymes, (5) direct chemical interactions between CO 2 and other cellular components, (6) dark CO 2 fixation rate, and (7) ethylene biosynthesis rate. Because a range‐of (possibly interactive) effects exist, and present knowledge is limited, the impact of future [CO 2 ] on respiration rate cannot be predicted. Theoretical considerations and types of experiments that can lead to an increase in the understanding of this issue are outlined.