Research note: Can decreased transpiration limit plant nitrogen acquisition in elevated CO2?
0106 biological sciences
2. Zero hunger
0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
04 agricultural and veterinary sciences
01 natural sciences
DOI:
10.1071/fp02007
Publication Date:
2002-09-16T04:40:11Z
AUTHORS (3)
ABSTRACT
N acquisition often lags behind accelerated C gain in plants exposed to CO2-enriched atmospheres. To help resolve the causes of this lag, we considered its possible link with stomatal closure, a common first-order response to elevated CO2 that can decrease transpiration. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that declines in transpiration, and hence mass flow of soil solution, can decrease delivery of mobile N to the root and thereby limit plant N acquisition. We altered transpiration by manipulating relative humidity (RH) and atmospheric [CO2]. During a 7-d period, we grew potted cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) trees in humidified (76% RH) and non-humidified (43% RH) glasshouses ventilated with either CO2-enriched or non-enriched air (~1000 vs ~380�μmol mol–1). We monitored effects of elevated humidity and/or CO2 on stomatal conductance, whole-plant transpiration, plant biomass gain, and N accumulation. To facilitate the latter, NO3– enriched in 15N (5 atom%) was added to all pots at the outset of the experiment. Transpiration and 15N accumulation decreased when either CO2 or humidity were elevated. The disparity between N accumulation and accelerated C gain in elevated CO2 led to a 19% decrease in shoot N concentration relative to ambient CO2. Across all treatments, 15N gain was positively correlated with root mass (P<0.0001), and a significant portion of the remaining variation (44%) was positively related to transpiration per unit root mass. At a given humidity, transpiration per unit leaf area was positively related to stomatal conductance. Thus, declines in plant N concentration and/or content under CO2 enrichment may be attributable in part to associated decreases in stomatal conductance and transpiration.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
Coming soon ....
REFERENCES (0)
CITATIONS (149)
EXTERNAL LINKS
PlumX Metrics
RECOMMENDATIONS
FAIR ASSESSMENT
Coming soon ....
JUPYTER LAB
Coming soon ....