Exposure to preindustrial, current and future atmospheric CO₂ and temperature differentially affects growth and photosynthesis in <i>Eucalyptus</i>

Abstract

Abstract To investigate if Eucalyptus species have responded to industrial‐age climate change, and how they may respond to a future climate, we measured growth and physiology of fast‐ ( E. saligna ) and slow‐growing ( E. sideroxylon ) seedlings exposed to preindustrial (290), current (400) or projected (650 μL L −1 ) CO 2 concentration ([CO 2 ]) and to current or projected (current +4 °C) temperature. To evaluate maximum potential treatment responses, plants were grown with nonlimiting soil moisture. We found that: (1) E. sideroxylon responded more strongly to elevated [CO 2 ] than to elevated temperature, while E. saligna responded similarly to elevated [CO 2 ] and elevated temperature; (2) the transition from preindustrial to current [CO 2 ] did not enhance eucalypt plant growth under ambient temperature, despite enhancing photosynthesis; (3) the transition from current to future [CO 2 ] stimulated both photosynthesis and growth of eucalypts, independent of temperature; and (4) warming enhanced eucalypt growth, independent of future [CO 2 ], despite not affecting photosynthesis. These results suggest large potential carbon sequestration by eucalypts in a future world, and highlight the need to evaluate how future water availability may affect such responses.