Welcome to Chinese Journal of Ecology! Today is Share:

cje

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Influences of elevated CO2 concentration on hydraulic architecture of seedlings of 4 tree species.

LIU Juan-juan1, ZHANG Jian-guo1, LI Ji-yue2*, ZHA Wei-wei1#br#   

  1. (1Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Beijing 100091, China; 2College of Forestry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China).
  • Online:2017-07-10 Published:2017-07-10

Abstract:

Hydraulic architecture parameters with relative ramification rate and in different area stem segments under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations were measured by improved flushing method. The aims were to study the change of hydraulic architecture, hydraulic safety and efficiency under elevated CO2 concentration. Saplings of four tree species (Pinus tabuliformis, Platycladus orientalis, Acer truncatum and Robinia pseudoacacia) had been exposed to ambient and elevated CO2 concentration for 13 months. The results showed that xylem specific conductivity (Ks) and leaf specific conductivity (LSC) increased in all the ramifications under elevated CO2 concentration. However, the percent loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) decreased in P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia in all the ramifications, and PLC only decreased in branch 2 of P. tabuliformis and in branch 0 and 1 of A. truncatum. Ks increased and PLC decreased in branch 2 of P. tabuliformis and R. pseudoacacia. In P. orientalis, P. tabuliformis and R. pseudoacacia, Ks increased by 12.8%, 19.6% and 51.24% in branch 2 whereas PLC decreased by 11.80%, 9.6% and 51.01% under elevated CO2 concentration, respectively. The hydraulic conductivity (Kh) of P. tabuliformis and P. orientalis in the non-restricted area were respectively larger than that in the restricted area, whereas Kh of A. truncatum and R. pseudoacacia were respectively smaller than that in the restricted area. However, the PLC was not significantly affected by elevated CO2 concentration. Ks and LSC of P. orientalis and A. truncatum in the nonrestricted area were respectively larger than those in the restricted area, whereas Ks and LSC of P. tabuliformis and R. pseudoacacia were respectively smaller than those in the restricted area. Under elevated CO2 concentration, four tree species with relative ramification showed different strategies to adapt to the changed environment. The strategies included: increasing hydraulic safety and hydraulic efficiency, and decreasing hydraulic security to tradeoff the hydraulic efficiency. However, four tree species in different area stem segments showed different strategies, keeping higher hydraulic efficiency to adapt to the elevated CO2 concentration.
 

Key words: litter decomposition, sulfur deposition, nitrogen deposition, Rainy Area of Western China, evergreen broad-leaved forest