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Temperature and irradiance and the total daily photosynthetic production of the crown of a Pinus radiata tree

Summary

Carbon dioxide exchange rates were recorded for different ages and positions of foliage and parts of the main stem of a 7-m tall Pinus radiata D. Don tree growing in a large, artificially lit, controlled-environment room. Irradiance levels were varied from dark to approximately full sunlight, and air temperatures from 10° to 35°C in 5°C steps. Leaf temperatures within the cuvettes used for CO2 exchange measurements, however, were up to 5°C higher than the room air temperature set but this varied with position in the tree crown, the shaded lower crown being at approximately room temperature. A balance sheet was prepared to show the photosynthetic gains and respiratory losses of different parts of the crown over 24 h at each air temperature and at irradiances of 400, 270, and 135 W m-2 during the 8-h photosynthetic period. The greatest daily photosynthetic gain was at 10° C, although this temperature is considered sub-optimal for growth. At temperatures greater than 25° C, even at the greatest irradiance level for 8 h, total respiration was greater than photosynthesis.

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Rook, D.A., Corson, M.J. Temperature and irradiance and the total daily photosynthetic production of the crown of a Pinus radiata tree. Oecologia 36, 371–382 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348063

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348063

Keywords

  • Balance Sheet
  • Tree Crown
  • Full Sunlight
  • Irradiance Level
  • Pinus Radiata