Stomatal response ofPinus sylvestriformis to elevated CO2 concentrations during the four years of exposure

Four-year-oldPinus sylvestriformis were exposed for four growing seasons in open top chambers to ambient CO2 concentration (approx. 350 μmol·mol−1) and high CO2 concentrations (500 and 700 μmol·mol−1) at Research Station of Changbai Mountain Forest Ecosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences at Antu Town, Jilin Province, China (42°N, 128°E). Stomatal response to elevated CO2 concentrations was examined by stomatal conductance (g s), ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 concentration (c i/c a) and stomatal number. Reciprocal transfer experiments of stomatal conductance showed that stomatal conductance in high-[CO2]-grown plants increased in comparison with ambient-[CO2]-grown plants when measured at their respective growth CO2 concentration and at the same measurement CO2 concentration (except a reduction in 700 μmol·mol−1 CO2. grown plants compared with plants on unchambered field when measured at growth CO2 concentration and 350 μmol·mol−1CO2). High-[CO2]-grown plants exhibited lowerc i/c a ratios than ambient-[CO2]-grown plants when measured at their respective growth CO2 concentration. However,c i/c a ratios increased for plants grown in high CO2 concentrations compared with control plants when measured at the same CO2 concentration. There was no significant difference in stomatal number per unit long needle between elevated and ambient CO2. However, elevated CO2 concentrations reduced the total stomatal number of whole needle by the decline of stomatal line and changed the allocation pattern of stomata between upper and lower surface of needle.