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Annals of Botany 82: 111-123, 1998
© 1998 Annals of Botany Company

Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide on Plant Biomass Production and Competition in a Simulated Neutral Grassland Community

MARJAN JONGEN and MIKE B. JONES+,

Botany Department, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland

November 1997 ; January 20, 1998 . April 9, 1998 .

Using open-top chambers, four prominent species (Lolium perenne, Cynosurus cristatus, Holcus lanatusandAgrostis capillaris) of Irish neutral grasslands were grown at ambient and elevated (700 µmol mol-1) atmospheric CO2for a period of 8 months. The effects of interspecific competition on plant responses to CO2enrichment were investigated by growing the species in a four-species mixture. The results indicate that the species differ in their ability to respond to elevated CO2. CO2-enrichment had the largest effect on the biomass production ofH. lanatus, but substantial stimulations in biomass production were also found for the other three species. The CO2-stimulation of biomass production forH. lanatuswas accompanied by increased tillering. In addition, reductions in specific leaf area were found for all species. Exposure to elevated CO2increased the community biomass of the four-species mixture. This increase can be mainly attributed to a significant increase in the biomass ofH. lanatusat elevated CO2. No statistically-significant changes in species composition of community biomass were found. However,H. lanatusdid increase its share of community biomass at each of the harvests, with the other three species, mainlyL. perenne, suffering losses in their shares at elevated CO2. The results show that: (1) the species varied in their response to elevated CO2; and (2) species composition in natural plant communities is likely to change at elevated CO2, but these changes may occur rather slowly. Much longer periods of exposure to elevated atmospheric CO2may be required to permit detection of significant changes in species composition.Copyright 1998 Annals of Botany Company

Carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment, competition, Lolium perenne,Cynosurus cristatus, Holcus lanatus, Agrostis capillaris, biomass, specific leaf area, tillering.


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