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Abstract Detail



Ecophysiology

Bui, Vi [1], Stangl, Zsofia [2], Hurry, Vaughan [2], Huner, Norman [1], Way, Danielle [1].

Wood anatomy of Norway spruce and Scots pine under warming and elevated CO2.

Increases in temperature and atmospheric CO2 in future climates can potentially affect xylem anatomy in trees, which influences both wood quality and tree water transport systems. We investigated the effects of warming and elevated CO2 on wood anatomy of two dominant boreal forest tree species, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Three-year-old seedlings were placed in one of six climate-controlled chambers at either ambient, ambient +4oC, or ambient + 8oC combined with current (400 ppm) or elevated (750 ppm) atmospheric CO2. At the end of two growing seasons, trees were harvested and analyzed for annual ring width, late wood proportion, and early and late wood tracheid characteristics, including lumen area, cell wall thickness, and fiber length. Overall, wood anatomical responses differed between pine and spruce, with pine responding to increased temperature but not elevated CO2, while spruce was responsive to both temperature and CO2. Scots pine had greater stem growth under warming, while stem growth was enhanced under warming and CO2 in Norway spruce. Warming also resulted in larger lumen area in Scots pine, which implied a higher efficiency of water transport, but also larger risks of freezing-induced cavitation. In Norway spruce, the interactive effects of temperature and CO2 altered tracheid dimensions, including lumen area, cell wall thickness, and tracheid length. Responses to CO2 and temperature were more pronounced in the late wood, with implications for wood density, mechanical support, and stem’s water storage capacity. We demonstrate differential sensitivity of xylem anatomy to warming and elevated CO2: these structural changes can influence tree water transport and wood quality, with implications for the forest industry in future climates.


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1 - University of Western Ontario, Department of Biology, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
2 - Umea University, Department of Plant Physiology, Se-901 87, Umea, Sweden

Keywords:
climate change
stem anatomy
tracheid
annual ring.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 25
Location: Salon 16/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 8:15 AM
Number: 25002
Abstract ID:601
Candidate for Awards:Physiological Section Physiological Section Li-COR Prize


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