Temporal variability in tree responses to elevated atmospheric CO2. 2021

Fran Lauriks, and Roberto Luis Salomón, and Kathy Steppe
Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

At leaf level, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (eCO2 ) results in stimulation of carbon net assimilation and reduction of stomatal conductance. However, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of eCO2 at larger temporal (seasonal and annual) and spatial (from leaf to whole-tree) scales is still lacking. Here, we review overall trends, magnitude and drivers of dynamic tree responses to eCO2 , including carbon and water relations at the leaf and the whole-tree level. Spring and early season leaf responses are most susceptible to eCO2 and are followed by a down-regulation towards the onset of autumn. At the whole-tree level, CO2 fertilization causes consistent biomass increments in young seedlings only, whereas mature trees show a variable response. Elevated CO2 -induced reductions in leaf stomatal conductance do not systematically translate into limitation of whole-tree transpiration due to the unpredictable response of canopy area. Reduction in the end-of-season carbon sink demand and water-limiting strategies are considered the main drivers of seasonal tree responses to eCO2 . These large temporal and spatial variabilities in tree responses to eCO2 highlight the risk of predicting tree behavior to eCO2 based on single leaf-level point measurements as they only reveal snapshots of the dynamic responses to eCO2 .

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002245 Carbon Dioxide A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals. Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D001272 Atmosphere The gaseous envelope surrounding a planet or similar body. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Atmospheres
D012621 Seasons Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014197 Trees Woody, usually tall, perennial higher plants (Angiosperms, Gymnosperms, and some Pterophyta) having usually a main stem and numerous branches. Tree
D018515 Plant Leaves Expanded structures, usually green, of vascular plants, characteristically consisting of a bladelike expansion attached to a stem, and functioning as the principal organ of photosynthesis and transpiration. (American Heritage Dictionary, 2d ed) Plant Leaf,Leaf, Plant,Leave, Plant,Leaves, Plant,Plant Leave

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