Seasonal response of photosynthesis to elevated CO2in loblolly pine (Pinus taedaL.) over two growing seasons

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Abstract
Trees growing in natural systems undergo seasonal changes in environmental factors that generate seasonal differences in net photosynthetic rates. To examine how seasonal changes in the environment affect the response of net photosynthetic rates to elevated CO2, we grewPinus taedaL. seedlings for three growing seasons in open‐top chambers continuously maintained at either ambient or ambient + 30 Pa CO2. Seedlings were grown in the ground, under natural conditions of light, temperature nd nutrient and water availability. Photosynthetic capacity was measured bimonthly using net photosynthetic rate vs. intercellular CO2partial pressure (A‐Ci) curves. Maximum Rubisco activity (Vcmax) and ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate regeneration capacity mediated by electron transport (Jmax) and phosphate regeneration (PiRC) were calculated fromA‐Cicurves using a biochemically based model. Rubisco activity, activation state and content, and leaf carbohydrate, chlorophyll and nitrogen concentrations were measured concurrently with photosynthesis measurements. This paper presents results from the second and third years of treatment.Mean leaf nitrogen concentrations ranged from 13.7 to 23.8 mg g−1, indicating that seedlings were not nitrogen deficient. Relative to ambient CO2seedlings, elevated CO2increased light‐saturated net photosynthetic rates 60–110% during the summer, but < 30% during the winter. A relatively strong correlation between leaf temperature and the relative response of net photosynthetic rates to elevated CO2suggests a strong effect of leaf temperature. During the third growing season, elevated CO2reduced Rubisco activity 30% relative to ambient CO2seedlings, nearly completely balancing Rubisco and RuBP‐regeneration regulation of photosynthesis. However, reductions in Rubisco activity did not eliminate the seasonal pattern in the relative response of net photosynthetic rates to elevated CO2. These results indicate that seasonal differences in the relative response of net photosynthetic rates to elevated CO2are likely to occur in natural systems.