title: Atmospheric CO2mole fraction affects stand-scale carbon use efficiency of sunflower by stimulating respiration in light.
abstract: Plant carbon-use-efficiency (CUE), a key parameter in carbon cycle and plant growth models, quantifies the fraction of fixed carbon that is converted into net primary production rather than respired. CUE has not been directly measured, partly because of the difficulty of measuring respiration in light. Here, we explore if CUE is affected by atmospheric CO2. Sunflower stands were grown at low (200 μmol mol-1) or high CO2(1000 μmol mol-1) in controlled environment mesocosms. CUE of stands was measured by dynamic stand-scale13C labelling and partitioning of photosynthesis and respiration. At the same plant age, growth at high CO2(compared with low CO2) led to 91% higher rates of apparent photosynthesis, 97% higher respiration in the dark, yet 143% higher respiration in light. Thus, CUE was significantly lower at high (0.65) than at low CO2(0.71). Compartmental analysis of isotopic tracer kinetics demonstrated a greater commitment of carbon reserves in stand-scale respiratory metabolism at high CO2. Two main processes contributed to the reduction of CUE at high CO2: a reduced inhibition of leaf respiration by light and a diminished leaf mass ratio. This work highlights the relevance of measuring respiration in light and assessment of the CUE response to environment conditions.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, 85354, Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiao Ying
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4983-5645
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, 85354, Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schäufele
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, 85354, Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph Andreas
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lehmeier
authors.affiliation: Research School of Biology, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tcherkez
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, 85354, Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0139-7535
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schnyder
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000528:radiation effects; D003624:Darkness; D006368:Helianthus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon
keywords: CO2 exchange; biomass allocation; carbon balance; compartmental analysis; dynamic labelling; flux separation; net primary production; stable isotope