• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.108-118
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• 2012

To investigate the responses of yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) seedlings to the interactive effects of the elevated atmospheric $CO_2$ level and nitrogen addition, we measured biomass, photosynthetic pigments, photosynthesis, and the contents of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) from the seedlings after 16 weeks of the treatments. Yellow poplar seedlings were grown under the ambient ($400{\mu}mol\;mol^{-1}$) and the elevated (560 and $720{\mu}mol\;mol^{-1}$) CO2 concentratoins with three different N addition levels (1.2, 2.4, and $3.6g\;kg^{-1}$) in the Open Top Chambers (OTC). The dry weight of the seedlings enhanced with the increased N levels under the elevated $CO_2$ concentrations and the increment of the dry weight differed among the different N levels. Photosynthetic pigment content of the yellow poplar leaves also increased with the increase of the $CO_2$ concentration levels. The effects of the N levels on the photosynthetic pigment content, however, were significantly different among the $CO_2$ levels. Photosynthetic rates were affected by the levels of $CO_2$ and N concentrations. Stomatal conductance and transpiration rates increased with increasing $CO_2$ concentration. The carboxylation efficiency of the seedlings without N addition increased under the higher $CO_2$ concentrations whereas that with N addition decreased under the elevated $CO_2$ concentrations. Nitrogen and carbon uptake in leaf, stem, and root increased with the elevated $CO_2$ concentration level and N addition. In conclusion, under the elevated $CO_2$ concentrations, physiological characteristics and carbon uptake of the yellow poplar seedling were improved and increased with N addition.