Do elevation of CO2 concentration and nitrogen fertilization alter storage and remobilization of carbon and nitrogen in pedunculate oak saplings ?
Abstract
Soil nitrogen can alter storage and remobilization of carbon and nitrogen in forest trees and affect growth responses to elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]).We investigated these effects in oak saplings (Quercus robur L.) exposed for two years to ambient or twice ambient [CO2]in combination with low- (LN, 0.6 mmol N l –1 ) or high-nitrogen (HN, 6.1 mmol N l –1 ) fertilization. Autumn N retranslocation efficiency from senescing leaves was less in HN saplings than in LNsaplings, but about 15%of saplingNwas lost to the litter. During the dormant season, nonstructural carbohydrates made up 20 to 30% of the dry mass of perennial organs. Starch was stored mainly in large roots where it represented 35–46% of drymass.Accumulation of starch increased in large roots in re- sponse to LN but was unaffected by elevated [CO2]. The HN treatment resulted in high concentrations of N-soluble com- pounds, and this effect was reduced by elevated [CO2], which decreased soluble protein N (–17%) and amino acid N (–37%) concentrations in theHNsaplings.Carbon andNreserveswere labeled with 13 C and 15 N, respectively, at the end of the first year. In the second year, about 20%of labeled C and 50%of la- beledNwas remobilized for spring growth in all treatments.At the end of leaf expansion, 50–60% of C in HN saplings origi- nated from assimilation versus only 10–20% in LN saplings. In HN saplings only, N uptake occurred, and some newly as- similated N was allocated to new shoots. Through effects on the C and N content of perennial organs, elevated [CO2] and HN increased remobilization capacity, thereby supporting multiple shoot flushes, which increased leaf area and subse- quent C acquisition in a positive feedback loop.
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