Abstract

Effects of elevated [CO2] and nitrogen nutrition on leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll content and growth in Betula
platyphylla seedlings were studied. The seedlings were grown in the ambient [CO2] (AC, 350????mol mol-1) and elevated
[CO2] (EC, 700????mol mol-1) growth chambers, with three levels of nitrogen: LN (0mmol L-1 N), MN (1.5mmol L-1 N)
and HN (3mmol L-1 N). HN increased photosynthesis (Pmax), photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and intercellular
[CO2] (Ci) by 120%, 8% and 11% than the LN. EC significantly increased Pmax and Ci by 37% and 57% compared to
the AC. The interaction of EC and LN was significant increased by 85% than the AC+MN, and could be attributed to
both inhibition of photosynthetic light reactions and carboxylation activity of Rubisco. In AC and EC, total biomass
were 3.2 and 5.1 times greater in HN compared to LN. Root biomass increased significantly in HN level under both AC
and EC. Chlorophyll (Chl) a and Chl b increased with increasing N availability.

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