Longer photoperiods negate the CO2 stimulation of photosynthesis in Betula papyrifera Marsh: Implications to climate change-induced migration.

Abstract

In response to global warming, trees are expected to shift their distribution ranges to higher latitudes. The range shift will expose them to novel environmental conditions, such as new photoperiod regimes. These factors can interact with rising atmospheric CO2 ([CO2 ]) to affect trees' physiology and growth. This study simulated future environmental conditions to investigate photosynthetic responses to changes in photoperiod regimes (seed origin [48°N], 52, 55, and 58°N) and [CO2 ] (ambient 400 vs. elevated 1000 μmol mol-1 ) in white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) seedlings. Our results show that elevated [CO2 ] stimulated leaf photosynthesis (Pn ) at the two lower latitudes (48 and 52°N). However, this stimulation by elevated [CO2 ] was lost in the two higher latitudes (55 and 58°N). Elevated [CO2 ] led to the downregulation of maximum Rubisco activity (Vcmax ) for the two higher latitudes, and maximum electron transport rate (Jmax ) and triose phosphate utilization (TPU) at 58°N, while it enhanced Jmax and TPU for the two lower latitudes. Increased instantaneous water-use efficiency (IWUE) for the two lower latitudes was primarily attributed to the CO2 stimulation of Pn while the higher IWUE under the photoperiod regimes of 55 and 58°N latitudes was explained by reduced water loss. Photoperiod effects varied with [CO2 ]: Pn increased at the photoperiod regimes of 55 and 58°N in ambient [CO2 ] while it tended to decline under these photoperiods in elevated [CO2 ]. Our study suggests that the photosynthesis of white birch will likely respond negatively to northward migration or seed transfer in response to climate change.