Combined effects of elevated winter temperatures and CO2 on Norway spruce seedlings

• Main Authors: Oddvar Skre, Knut Nes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Finnish Society of Forest Science 1996-12-01
• Series: Silva Fennica
• Subjects: winter temperatures; carbon dioxide; picea abies; norway spruce; growth; photosynthesis; provenance; n fertilization; norway

A total of 1,800 3-year old seedlings of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) from two Norwegian and one German provenance were treated with two different nitrogen levels during the 1992 growth season. The plants were kept during the following winter at two different temperature levels. In the spring of 1993, the nutrient application was resumed, and the plants were divided between three different treatments, 350 and 650 p.p.m. in open top chamber and a control plot outside the chambers. This treatment was repeated also during the following 1994 growth season. The growth and primary production were studied by photosynthesis experiments and by non-destructive growth measurements. The result indicate that raised winter temperature may lead to increased needle loss and reduced growth the following season, particularly in northern provenances. Carbon dioxide significantly influenced growth in addition to nutrient level and winter temperature. High CO2 also seemed to cause increased photosynthesis at early season, and earlier budbreak and growth cessation than in control plants.