Internal Recycling of Respired CO₂ May Be Important for Plant Functioning under Changing Climate Regimes

Authors

Jasper Bloeman, Ghent UniversityFollow
Mary Anne McGuire, University of GeorgiaFollow
Doug P. Aubrey, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow
Robert O. Teskey, University of GeorgiaFollow
Kathy Steppe, Ghent UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

Publication Title

Plant Signaling & Behavior

DOI

10.4161/psb.27530

ISSN

1559-2324

Abstract

Recent studies have provided evidence of a large flux of root-respired CO₂ in the transpiration stream of trees. In our study, we investigated the potential impact of this internal CO₂ transport on aboveground carbon assimilation and CO₂ efflux. To trace the transport of root-respired CO₂, we infused a ¹³C label at the stem base of field-grown Populus deltoides Bartr. ex. Marsh trees. The¹³C label was transported to the top of the stem and throughout the crown via the transpiration stream. Up to 17% of the ¹³C label was assimilated by chlorophyll-containing tissues. Our results provide evidence of a mechanism for recycling respired CO₂ within trees. Such a mechanism may have important implications for how plants cope with predicted increases in intensity and frequency of droughts. Here, we speculate on the potential significance of this recycling mechanism within the context of plant responses to climate change and plants currently inhabiting arid environments.

Recommended Citation

Bloeman, Jasper, Mary Anne McGuire, Doug P. Aubrey, Robert O. Teskey, Kathy Steppe. 2013. "Internal Recycling of Respired CO₂ May Be Important for Plant Functioning under Changing Climate Regimes." Plant Signaling & Behavior, 8 (12): Taylor & Francis Online. doi: 10.4161/psb.27530 source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/psb.27530
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/biology-facpubs/3

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