Growth response and acclimation of CO2 exchange characteristics to elevated temperatures in tropical tree seedlings.

ABSTRACT: Predictions of how tropical forests will respond to future climate change are constrained by the paucity of data on the performance of tropical species under elevated growth temperatures. In particular, little is known about the potential of tropical species to acclimate physiologically to future increases in temperature. Seedlings of 10 neo-tropical tree species from different functional groups were cultivated in controlled-environment chambers under four day/night temperature regimes between 30/22 °C and 39/31 °C. Under well-watered conditions, all species showed optimal growth at temperatures above those currently found in their native range. While non-pioneer species experienced catastrophic failure or a substantially reduced growth rate under the highest temperature regime employed (i

SUBMITTER: Cheesman AW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3745734 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature