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Effects of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Tropospheric Ozone on Phytochemical Composition of Trembling Aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) and Paper Birch ( Betula papyrifera )
- Source :
- Journal of Chemical Ecology. 43:26-38
- Publication Year :
- 2016
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2016.
-
Abstract
- Anthropogenic activities are altering levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and tropospheric ozone (O3). These changes can alter phytochemistry, and in turn, influence ecosystem processes. We assessed the individual and combined effects of elevated CO2 and O3 on the phytochemical composition of two tree species common to early successional, northern temperate forests. Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) were grown at the Aspen FACE (Free-Air Carbon dioxide and ozone Enrichment) facility under four combinations of ambient and elevated CO2 and O3. We measured, over three years (2006-08), the effects of CO2 and O3 on a suite of foliar traits known to influence forest functioning. Elevated CO2 had minimal effect on foliar nitrogen and carbohydrate levels in either tree species, and increased synthesis of condensed tannins and fiber in aspen, but not birch. Elevated O3 decreased nitrogen levels in both tree species and increased production of sugar, condensed tannins, fiber, and lignin in aspen, but not birch. The magnitude of responses to elevated CO2 and O3 varied seasonally for both tree species. When co-occurring, CO2 offset most of the changes in foliar chemistry expressed under elevated O3 alone. Our results suggest that levels of CO2 and O3 predicted for the mid-twenty-first century will alter the foliar chemistry of northern temperate forests with likely consequences for forest community and ecosystem dynamics.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Ozone
Nitrogen
Phytochemicals
chemistry.chemical_element
Lignin
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Biochemistry
chemistry.chemical_compound
Phenols
Botany
Ecosystem
Tropospheric ozone
Betula
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere
General Medicine
Carbon Dioxide
Plant Leaves
Populus
chemistry
Carbon dioxide
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Tannins
Temperate rainforest
010606 plant biology & botany
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15731561 and 00980331
- Volume :
- 43
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Chemical Ecology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....258c18a227db9369e5af9dec104dbd1d