Interaction of Elevated CO2 and Ozone Concentrations and Irrigation Regimes on Leaf Anatomy and Carbohydrate Status of Young Oak (Quercus petraea) Trees

Abstract

Young sessile oak (Quercus petraea) trees were exposed for one vegetation period in closed environmental chambers in a crossed factorial study on effects to varied CO2 concentrations, ozone concentrations and irrigation treatments. Elevated CO2 concentrations (ambient + 350 (μmol mol-1) caused a significant increase in biomass production, alterations in leaf anatomy and chloroplast ultrastructure as well as an increase in leaf starch content, as compared to ambient CO2 concentrations. The effects of elevated O3 concentrations and drought stress were far less distinct. The leaf starch content was influenced by CO2 and O3 in a synergistic manner. © 1999, Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung. All rights reserved.