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Do Elevated Temperature and CO(2) Generally Have Counteracting Effects on Phenolic Phytochemistry of Boreal Trees?

Veteli TO, Mattson WJ, Niemelä P, Julkunen-Tiitto R, Kellomäki S, Kuokkanen K, Lavola A

Faculty of Forestry, University of Joensuu, P. O. B. 111, FI-80101, Joensuu, Finland, timo.veteli@joensuu.fi.

Global climate change includes concomitant changes in many components of the abiotic flux necessary for plant life. In this paper, we investigate the combined effects of elevated CO(2) (720 ppm) and temperature (+2 K) on the phytochemistry of three deciduous tree species. The analysis revealed that elevated CO(2) generally stimulated increased carbon partitioning to various classes of phenolic compounds, whereas an increase in temperature had the opposite effect. The combined effects of both elevated CO(2) and temperature were additive, i.e., canceling one another's individual effects. Obviously, the effects of global climate change on leaf chemistry must simultaneously consider both temperature and CO(2). If these results are generally applicable, then the counteracting effect of the temperature is likely to play a major role in alpine, boreal, and arctic zones in determining the balance between populations of plants and herbivores.

Published 17 January 2007 in J Chem Ecol, 33(2): 287-96.
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