Root responses along a subambient to elevated CO2 gradient in a C3–C4 grassland

Authors

Laurel J. Anderson, University of Texas
Justin D. Derners, USDA-ARSFollow
H. Wayne Polley, USDA-ARSFollow
Wendy S. Gordon, University of Texas
David M. Eissenstat, Pennsylvania State University
Robert B. Jackson, University of TexasFollow

Date of this Version

2009

Comments

Published in Global Change Biology (2009).

Abstract

Atmospheric CO₂ (C_a) concentration has increased significantly during the last 20 000 years, and is projected to double this century. Despite the importance of belowground processes in the global carbon cycle, community-level and single species root responses to rising C_a are not well understood. We measured net community root biomass over 3 years using ingrowth cores in a natural C₃–C₄ grassland exposed to a gradient of C_a from preglacial to future levels (230–550 µmol mol^-1).