Abstract

The growth responses of mature Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees exposed to elevated [CO2] (C-E; 670-700 ppm) and long-term optimized nutrient availability or elevated air temperature (T-E; +/- 3.9 degrees C) were studied in situ in northern Sweden in two 3 year field experiments using 12 whole-tree chambers in ca. 40-year-old forest. The first experiment (Exp. I) studied the interactions between C-E and nutrient availability and the second (Exp. II) between C-E and T-E. It should be noted that only air temperature was elevated in Exp. II, while soil temperature was maintained close to ambient. In Exp. I, C-E significantly increased the mean annual height increment, stem volume and biomass increment during the treatment period (25, 28, and 22%, respectively) when nutrients were supplied. There was, however, no significant positive C-E effect found at the low natural nutrient availability. In Exp. II, which was conducted at the natural site fertility, neither C-E nor T-E significantly affected height or stem increment. It is concluded that the low nutrient availability (mainly nitrogen) in the boreal forests is likely to restrict their response to the continuous rise in [CO2] and/or T-E.

Keywords

boreal forest; global climate change; nitrogen limitation; Picea abies

Published in

Tree Physiology
2013, Volume: 33, number: 11, pages: 1192-1205
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

• Linder, Sune

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

Forest
Climate


UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpt043

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/56182