4.7 Article

Effects of elevated CO2 concentration and nitrogen addition on the chemical compositions, construction cost and payback time of subtropical trees in Cd-contaminated mesocosm soil

Journal

TREE PHYSIOLOGY
Volume 42, Issue 5, Pages 1002-1015

Publisher

OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab163

Keywords

cadmium pollution; construction cost; elevated [CO2]; photosynthesis; species-specific

Categories

Funding

  1. National Natural Science Foundation of China [31570483, 41973076, 31570401]
  2. Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province [2015A030311029]
  3. Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) [GML2019ZD0408]
  4. Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China [2020M682950]
  5. Science & Technology Program of Guangzhou [201803030020]

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This study explored the impacts of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and nitrogen addition on the growth, physiological characteristics and chemical compositions of five subtropical tree species in a cadmium-contaminated environment over a period of 2 years. The results showed that nitrogen addition and elevated CO2 had positive effects on the growth of A. auriculiformis, S. hainanense, and L. formosana, while the growth rate of C. hystrix and C. camphora remained unchanged.
Rising atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) and nitrogen (N) deposition are changing plant growth, physiological characteristics and chemical compositions; however, few studies have explored such impacts in a heavy metal-contaminated environment. In this study, we conducted an open-top chamber experiment to explore the impacts of 2 years of elevated atmospheric [CO2] and N addition on the growth, physiological characteristics and chemical compositions of five subtropical tree species in a cadmium (Cd)-contaminated environment. Results showed that N addition significantly increased concentration of leaf N and protein in five tree species and also decreased payback time (PBT) and leaf carbon:nitrogen ratios and increased tree relative height growth rate (RGR-H) and basal diameter growth rate (RGR-B) in Liquidambar formosana Hance and Syzygium hainanense Chang et Miau. Elevated [CO2] increased leaf maximum photosynthetic rate (A(max)) and concentration of total non-structural carbohydrates and shortened PBT to offset the negative effect of Cd contamination on RGR-B in Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth. The combined effects of elevated [CO2] and N addition did not exceed their separate effects on RGR-H and RGR-B in Castanopsis hystrix Hook. f. & Thomson ex A. DC. and Cinnamomum camphora (L.) presl. The addition of N significantly increased the concentration of leaf Cd by 162.1% and 338.0%, and plant Cd bio-concentration factor by 464% and 861% in C. hystrix and C. camphora, respectively, compared with only Cd addition. Among the five tree species, the decrease in PBT and the increase in A(max), RGR-B and concentrations of leaf protein in response to N and Cd addition under elevated [CO2] were on average 86.7% higher in A. auriculiformis than other species, suggesting that the mitigation of the negative effects of Cd pollution by elevated [CO2] and N addition among five species was species-specific. Overall, we concluded that N addition and elevated [CO2] reduced Cd toxicity and increased the growth rate in A. auriculiformis, S. hainanense and L. formosana, while it maintained the growth rate in C. hystrix and C. camphora by differently increasing photosynthetic rate, altering the leaf chemical compositions and shortening PBT.

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