Influence of atmospheric CO2 enrichment, soil N, and water stress on needle surface wax formation in Pinus palustris (Pinaceae)
1997
Prior, S.A. | Pritchard, S.G. | Runion, G.B. | Rogers, H.H. | Mitchell, R.J.
Interactive effects of increasing atmospheric CO2 with resource limitations on production of surface wax in plants have not been studied. Pinus palustris seedlings were grown for 1 yr at two levels of soil N (40 or 400 kg N.ha-1.yr-1) and water stress (-0.5 or -1.5 MPa xylem pressure potential) in open-top field chambers under two levels of CO2 (365 or 720 micromoles/mol). Needle surface wax content was determined at 8 mo (fall) and 12 mo (spring) and epicuticular wax morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at 12 mo. Wax content expressed on both a leaf area and dry mass basis was increased due to main effects of low N and water stress. No main effects of CO2 were observed; however, a CO2 X N interaction at 12 mo indicated that under low soil N the elevated CO2 treatment had less wax (surface area or dry mass basis) compared to its ambient counterpart. Morphologically, low N needle surfaces appeared rougher compared to those of high N needles due to more extensive wax ridges. Although the main effect of water treatment on wax density was not reflected by changes in wax morphology, the CO2 X N interaction was paralleled by alterations in wax appearance. Decreases in density and less prominent epicuticular wax ridges resulting from growth under elevated CO2 and limiting N suggest that dynamics of plant/atmosphere and plant/pathogen interactions may be altered.
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