Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on photosynthesis and leaf traits of an understory dwarf bamboo in subalpine forest zone, China

Abstract

The dwarf bamboo (Fargesia rufa Yi), growing understory in subalpine dark coniferous forest, is one of the main foods for giant panda, and it influences the regeneration of subalpine coniferous forests in southwestern China. To investigate the effects of elevated CO₂, temperature and their combination, the dwarf bamboo plantlets were exposed to two CO₂ regimes (ambient and double ambient CO₂ concentration) and two temperatures (ambient and +2.2°C) in growth chambers. Gas exchange, leaf traits and carbohydrates concentration were measured after the 150-day experiment. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate (Anet ), intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUEi ) and carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) and decreased stomatal conductance (g(s)) and total chlorophyll concentration based on mass (Chl(m)) and area (Chl(a)). On the other hand, elevated CO₂ decreased specific leaf area (SLA), which was increased by elevated temperature. Elevated CO₂ also increased foliar carbon concentration based on mass (C(m)) and area (C(a)), nitrogen concentration based on area (N(a)), carbohydrates concentration (i.e. sucrose, sugar, starch and non-structural carbohydrates) and the slope of the A(net)-N(a) relationship. However, elevated temperature decreased C(m), C(a) and N(a). The combination of elevated CO₂ and temperature hardly affected SLA, C(m), C(a), N(m), N(a), Chl(m) and Chl(a). Variables Anet and Na had positive linear relationships in all treatments. Our results showed that photosynthetic acclimation did not occur in dwarf bamboo at elevated CO₂ and it could adjust physiology and morphology to enable the capture of more light, to increase WUE and improve nutritional conditions.