Photosynthetic CO₂ uptake in seedlings of two tropical tree species exposed to oscillating elevated concentrations of CO₂

Abstract

Do short-term fluctuations in CO₂ concentrations at elevated CO₂ levels affect net CO₂ uptake rates of plants? When exposed to 600 μl CO₂ l⁻¹, net CO₂ uptake rates in shoots or leaves of seedlings of two tropical C₃ tree species, teak (Tectona grandis L. f.) and barrigon [Pseudobombax septenatum (Jacq.) Dug.], increased by 28 and 52% respectively. In the presence of oscillations with half-cycles of 20 s, amplitude of ca. 170 μl CO₂ l⁻¹ and mean of 600 μl CO₂ l⁻¹, the stimulation in net CO₂ uptake by the two species was reduced to 19 and 36%, respectively, i.e. the CO₂ stimulation in photosynthesis associated with a change in exposure from 370 to 600 μl CO₂ l⁻¹ was reduced by a third in both species. Similar reductions in CO₂-stimulated net CO₂ uptake were observed in T. grandis exposed to 40-s oscillations. Rates of CO₂ efflux in the dark by whole shoots of T. grandis decreased by 4.8% upon exposure of plants grown at 370 μl CO₂ l⁻¹ to 600 μl CO₂ l⁻¹. The potential implications of the observations on CO₂ oscillations and dark respiration are discussed in the context of free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) systems in which short-term fluctuations of CO₂ concentration are a common feature.