Is stimulation of leaf photosynthesis by elevated carbon dioxide concentration maintained in the long term? A test with Lolium perenne grown for 10 years at two nitrogen fertilization levels under Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE)

Photosynthesis is commonly stimulated in grasslands with experimental increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]), a physiological response that could significantly alter the future carbon cycle if it persists in the long term.. Yet an acclimation of photosynthetic capacity suggested by theoretical models and short-term experiments could completely remove this effect of CO2. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cv. Bastion) was grown under an elevated [CO2] of 600 mumol mol(-1) for 10 years using Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE), with two contrasting nitrogen levels and abrupt changes in the source: sink ratio following periodic harvests. More than 3000 measurements characterized the response of leaf photosynthesis and stomatal conductance to elevated [CO2] across each growing season for the duration of the experiment. Over the 10 years as a whole, growth at elevated [CO2] resulted in a 43% higher rate of light-saturated leaf photosynthesis and a 36% increase in daily integral of leaf CO2 uptake. Photosynthetic stimulation was maintained despite a 30% decrease in stomatal conductance and significant decreases in both the apparent, maximum carboxylation velocity (V-c,V-max) and the maximum rate of electron transport (J(max)). Immediately prior to the periodic (every 4-8 weeks) cuts of the L. perenne stands, V-c,V-max and J(max), were significantly lower in elevated than in ambient [CO2] in the low-nitrogen treatment. This difference was smaller after the cut, suggesting a dependence upon the balance between the sources and sinks for carbon. In contrast with theoretical expectations and the results of shorter duration experiments, the present results provide no significant change in photosynthetic stimulation across a 10-year period, nor greater acclimation in V-c,V-max and J(max) in the later years in either nitrogen treatment

Photoinhibition of photosynthesis, will it increase or decrease with elevated CO_2?

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The photosynthetic acclimation of Lolium perenne in response to three years growth in a free-air CO{sub 2} enrichment (FACE) system

Pure stands of Ryegrass were in their third year of growth in the field, exposed to either ambient (355 {mu}mol mol{sup -1}), or elevated (600 {mu}mol mol{sup -1}) atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentration. A Free-Air CO{sub 2} Enrichment (FACE) system was used to maintain the elevated CO{sub 2} concentration whilst limiting experimental constraints on the field conditions. The theoretically predicted increase in the net rates of CO{sub 2} uptake per unit leaf area (A {mu}mol mol{sup -1}) as a consequence, primarily, of the suppression of photorespiration by CO{sub 2} a competitive inhibitor of RubP oxygenation by Rubisco, was observed for the Lolium perenne studied. Also observed was a general decline in leaf evapotranspiration (E) consistent with observations of increased water use efficiency of crops grown in elevated CO{sub 2}. Enhancement of leaf A in the FACE grown L. perenne ranged from 26.5 1 % to 44.95% over the course of a diurnal set of measurements. Whilst reductions in leaf E reached a maximum of 16.61% over the same diurnal course of-measurements. The increase in A was reconciled with an absence of the commonly observed decline in V{sub c}{sub max} as a measure of the maximum in vivo carboxylation capacity of the primary carboxylasing enzyme Rubisco and J{sub max} a measure of the maximum rate of electron transport. The manipulation of the source sink balance of the crop, stage of canopy regrowth or height in the canopy had no effect on the observation of a lack of response. The findings of this study will be interpreted with respect to the long term implications of C{sub 3} crops being able to adapt physiologically to maximize the potential benefits conferred by growth in elevated CO{sub 2}

Impact of elevated CO(2) concentration under three soil water levels on growth of Cinnamomum camphora

Forest plays very important roles in global system with about 35% land area producing about 70% of total land net production. It is important to consider both elevated CO(2) concentrations and different soil moisture when the possible effects of elevated CO(2) concentration on trees are assessed. In this study, we grew Cinnamomum camphora seedlings under two CO(2) concentrations (350 μmol/mol and 500 μmol/mol) and three soil moisture levels [80%, 60% and 40% FWC (field water capacity)] to focus on the effects of exposure of trees to elevated CO(2) on underground and aboveground plant growth, and its dependence on soil moisture. The results indicated that high CO(2) concentration has no significant effects on shoot height but significantly impacts shoot weight and ratio of shoot weight to height under three soil moisture levels. The response of root growth to CO(2) enrichment is just reversed, there are obvious effects on root length growth, but no effects on root weight growth and ratio of root weight to length. The CO(2) enrichment decreased 20.42%, 32.78%, 20.59% of weight ratio of root to shoot under 40%, 60% and 80% FWC soil water conditions, respectively. And elevated CO(2) concentration significantly increased the water content in aboveground and underground parts. Then we concluded that high CO(2) concentration favours more tree aboveground biomass growth than underground biomass growth under favorable soil water conditions. And CO(2) enrichment enhanced lateral growth of shoot and vertical growth of root. The responses of plants to elevated CO(2) depend on soil water availability, and plants may benefit more from CO(2) enrichment with sufficient water supply