Response of semi-natural wet meadow to natural geogenic CO2 enrichment

Nina Šajna (Author), Margit H. Meister (Author), Harald R. Bolhár-Nordenkampf (Author), Mitja Kaligarič (Author)

Abstract

A semi-natural wet meadow, dominated by Carex rostrata, experienced a natural geogenic CO2 enrichment of soil [CO2] and a small layer of air above the surface throughout the year, and occasional flooding in autumn. We expected such conditions to be tolerated by flood tolerant plant species, which might even benefit from CO2 enrichment. We examined the influence of elevated [CO2] and/or flooding on primary production of meadow vegetation and C. rostrata, measured through above- and below-ground biomass, LAI and photochemical efficiency (chlorophyll fluorescence Fv/Fm). Results showed that C. rostrata biomass increased under conditions of enhanced [CO2] and elevated soil water content (SWC). The positive effect of increased [CO2] was hampered by simultaneous increase in SWC. Additionally, patterns of C. rostrata senescence are changed, since dead biomass significantly decreased with the increase in [CO2] levels and the contrary was shown for higher SWC. These results explain why C. rostrata was the dominant species. In summer, Carex responded with enhanced growth on plots with higher SWC, which represented its optimal habitat, while on drier sites it benefited from elevated [CO2] because of improved water use efficiency. During autumn flooding, the positive effect of increased [CO2] on biomass production was hampered by and corresponded with increased root biomass. Carex rostrata, well adapted to waterlogged soil and hypoxia, was able to tolerate O2 deficiency irrespective of its origin: waterlogging or geogenic CO2. Higher levels of [CO2] in the soil increased the photochemical use of Carex in the afternoon with low-light conditions, even though the changes in photochemical efficiency were best explained by the erectophile canopy. In crux, C. rostrata is the dominant species in this particular semi-natural meadow, can tolerate high levels of geogenic [CO2] in the soil and benefit from elevated [CO2] in the air during drought and low-light.

Keywords

ogljikov dioksid;mokrotni pravniki;poplavljenost;rastlinstvo;carbon dioxide;wet meadows;waterlogging;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2013
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UM FNM - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
UDC:	581.5
COBISS:	19882760
ISSN:	1560-8530
Views:	994
Downloads:	18
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Unknown
Secondary keywords:	rastlinstvo;carbon dioxide;wet meadows;waterlogging;
URN:	URN:SI:UM:
Type (COBISS):	Not categorized
Pages:	str. 657-664
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ15
Issue:	ǂno. ǂ4
Chronology:	2013
Keywords (UDC):	mathematics;natural sciences;naravoslovne vede;matematika;botany;botanika;general botany;splošna botanika;fiziologija rastlin;morfologija rastlin;ekologija rastlin;habits of plants;plant behaviour;plant ecology;plant ethology;the plant and its environment;bionomics of plants;
ID:	1440388