%0 Research article
%T Morphological mechanism of growth response in treeline species Minjiang fir to elevated CO2 and temperature
%A Hou, Ying
%A Qu, Jintao
%A Luo, Zukui
%A Zhang, Chao
%A Wang, Kaiyun
%D 2011
%J Silva Fennica
%V 45
%N 2
%R doi:10.14214/sf.41
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/41
%X To test whether and how morphological traits are linked with growth responses of plants to temperature and CO<sub>2</sub> is important for understanding the mechanism underlying how plant  growth will respond to global warming. In this study, using closed-top  chambers to mimic future elevated CO<sub>2</sub> and temperature, the  growth response, morphological traits of Minjiang fir (Abies faxoniana  Rehd.et Wils.) and the relationship of the two were investigated after  two years of exposure to the single and combined elevation of CO<sub>2</sub> and temperature. The results showed that biomass of Minjiang fir was 21%, 31%, and 35% greater than the control in elevated CO<sub>2</sub>, elevated temperature and the combination of elevated CO<sub>2</sub> and temperature treatments, respectively. Elevated CO<sub>2</sub> and temperature significantly affected the morphology of Minjiang fir,  and a few morphological traits were highly correlated with growth  responses. Larger branch angles at the upper layer, crown volume, and  relative crown length contributed to positive growth responses to  elevated CO<sub>2</sub>, while decreased specific leaf area (SLA)  constricted any further growth response. Leaf morphological traits were  more closely correlated with the response ratio than crown did in the  elevated temperature, while in the combination of elevated CO<sub>2</sub> and temperature, crown was more correlated with the response ratio than  the leaf morphological traits. Thus, our results indicate that  morphological traits may contribute differently to growth responses  under different experimental conditions.