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Evidence of altitudinal increase in photosynthetic capacity: gas exchange measurements at ambient and constant CO2 partial pressures

Augmentation de la capacité photosynthétique avec l’altitude: mesures d’échanges gazeux à pressions partielles de CO2 ambiante et constante

Annals of Forest Science volume 66, page 505 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • Because all microclimatic variables change with elevation, it is difficult to compare plant performance and especially photosynthetic capacity at different elevations. Indeed, most previous studies investigated photosynthetic capacity of low- and high-elevation plants using constant temperature, humidity and light but varying CO2 partial pressures (P CO 2).

  • • Using gas exchange measurements, we compared here maximum assimilation rates (A max) at ambient and constant-low-elevation P CO 2for two temperate tree species along an altitudinal gradient (100 to 1600 m) in the Pyrénées mountains.

  • • Significant differences in A max were observed between the CO2 partial pressure treatments for elevations above 600 m, the between-treatment differences increasing with elevation up to 4 μmol m−2 s−1. We found an increase in A max with increasing elevation at constant-low-elevation P CO 2 but not at ambient P CO 2 for both species. Given a 10% change in P CO 2, a proportionally higher shift in maximum assimilation rate was found for both species.

  • • Our results showed that high elevation populations had higher photosynthetic capacity and therefore demonstrated that trees coped with extreme environmental conditions by a combination of adaptation (genetic evolution) and of acclimation. Our study also highlighted the importance of using constant CO2 partial pressure to assess plant adaptation at different elevations.

Résumé

  • • Les conditions microclimatiques étant très variables avec l’altitude, il est difficile de comparer les performances d’une espèce végétale à différentes altitudes, particulièrement la capacité photosynthétique. En effet, la plupart des études antérieures ont estimé le taux maximal d’assimilation à basses et hautes altitudes en maintenant la température, l’humidité de l’air et la lumière constantes mais en laissant varier la pression partielle de CO2 (P CO 2).

  • • Afin de comparer le taux maximum d’assimilation (A max) à pressions partielles de CO2 constantes de basse altitude et variables, nous avons effectué des mesures d’échanges gazeux sur deux espèces d’arbres tempérés le long d’un gradient altitudinal de 1600 m de dénivelé dans les Pyrénées françaises.

  • • La différence entre les deux traitements de P CO 2 est significative au-dessus de 600 m d’altitude et atteint un maximum de 4 μmol m−2 s−1. Pour les deux espèces, nous avons mis en évidence une augmentation de A max avec l’altitude à P CO 2 constantes mais pas à P CO 2 ambiantes. Pour une modification de P CO 2 de 10 %, le changement du taux maximum d’assimilation est proportionnellement supérieur chez les deux espèces.

  • • Nos résultats montrent que les populations de hautes altitudes possèdent une capacité photosynthétique supérieure, démontrant que les arbres font face aux conditions environnementales extrêmes grâce à des adaptations génétiques ou des acclimatations. Notre étude souligne ainsi l’importance de fixer la PCO 2 pour comparer l’adaptation des plantes à différentes altitudes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR BIOGECO, Université Bordeaux 1 - INRA, 33405, Talence, France

    Caroline C. Bresson, Antoine Kremer & Sylvain Delzon

  2. Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Andrew S. Kowalski

  3. Centro Andaluz del Medio Ambiente (CEAMA), 18006, Granada, Spain

    Andrew S. Kowalski

Authors
  1. Caroline C. Bresson
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  2. Andrew S. Kowalski
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  3. Antoine Kremer
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  4. Sylvain Delzon
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Correspondence to Sylvain Delzon.

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Bresson, C.C., Kowalski, A.S., Kremer, A. et al. Evidence of altitudinal increase in photosynthetic capacity: gas exchange measurements at ambient and constant CO2 partial pressures. Ann. For. Sci. 66, 505 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009027

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009027

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X