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Elevated atmospheric CO2 and humidity delay leaf fall in Betula pendula, but not in Alnus glutinosa or Populus tremula × tremuloides

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Abstract

Context

Anthropogenic activity has increased the level of atmospheric CO2, which is driving an increase of global temperatures and associated changes in precipitation patterns. At Northern latitudes, one of the likely consequences of global warming is increased precipitation and air humidity.

Aims

In this work, the effects of both elevated atmospheric CO2 and increased air humidity on trees commonly growing in northern European forests were assessed.

Methods

The work was carried out under field conditions by using Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) and Free Air Humidity Manipulation (FAHM) systems. Leaf litter fall was measured over 4 years (FACE) or 5 years (FAHM) to determine the effects of FACE and FAHM on leaf phenology.

Results

Increasing air humidity delayed leaf litter fall in Betula pendula, but not in Populus tremula × tremuloides. Similarly, under elevated atmospheric CO2, leaf litter fall was delayed in B. pendula, but not in Alnus glutinosa. Increased CO2 appeared to interact with periods of low precipitation in summer and high ozone levels during these periods to effect leaf fall.

Conclusions

This work shows that increased CO2 and humidity delay leaf fall, but this effect is species-specific.

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Acknowledgments

The FAHM study was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Estonia (grant SF SF0180025s12) and by the EU through the European Social Fund (Mobilitas postdoctoral grant MJD 257) and the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence ENVIRON) and Project no. 3.2.0802.11-0043 (BioAtmos). The development of BangorFACE site infrastructure was funded by SRIF. We thank the Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities Partnership Centre for Integrated Research in the Rural Environment and the Forestry Commission Wales for financially supporting the running costs of the experiment. Andrew Smith was supported by the Sir Williams Roberts PhD Scholarship match funded by the Drapers’ Company.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forest Ecology, Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU), 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Douglas Godbold & Iftekhar U. Ahmed

  2. Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005, Tartu, Estonia

    Arvo Tullus, Priit Kupper & Jaak Sõber

  3. Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51005, Tartu, Estonia

    Ivika Ostonen

  4. School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK

    Jasmin A. Godbold

  5. School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AR, UK

    Martin Lukac

  6. School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, Bangor University, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK

    Andrew R. Smith

Authors
  1. Douglas Godbold
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  2. Arvo Tullus
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  3. Priit Kupper
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  4. Jaak Sõber
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  5. Ivika Ostonen
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  6. Jasmin A. Godbold
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  7. Martin Lukac
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  8. Iftekhar U. Ahmed
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  9. Andrew R. Smith
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Douglas Godbold.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Thomas Wohlgemuth

Contribution of the co-authors

Douglas Godbold. Instigated the BangorFACE experiment, analysed data and co-wrote the paper

Arvo Tullus. Instigated the FAHM experiment, collected and analysed data and co-wrote the paper

Priit Kupper. Instigated the FAHM experiment and co-wrote the paper

Jaak Sõber. Instigated and operated the FAHM experiment and analysed the weather data

Ivika Ostonen. Collected and analysed fine-root data

Andrew Smith. Collected and analysed data and wrote the original draft

Martin Lukac. Analysed data.

Iftekhar Ahmed. Collected leaves and carried out laboratory and data analysis

Jasmin Godbold. Carried out statistical analysis and data interpretation

Executive summary

The effects of both elevated atmospheric CO2 and increased air humidity on autumn leaf fall were assessed using free air systems. Both factors delayed leaf litter fall in Betula pendula, but not in Populus tremula × tremuloides or Alnus glutinosa.

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Godbold, D., Tullus, A., Kupper, P. et al. Elevated atmospheric CO2 and humidity delay leaf fall in Betula pendula, but not in Alnus glutinosa or Populus tremula × tremuloides . Annals of Forest Science 71, 831–842 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0382-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0382-4

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