Article,
Plant reproduction under elevated CO2 conditions: a meta-analysis of reports on 79 crop and wild species
New Phytologist, 156 (1): 9--26 (Oct 1, 2002)
DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2002.00494.x
Abstract
* • Reproductive traits are key characteristics for predicting the response of communities and ecosystems to global change. * • We used meta-analysis to integrate data on eight reproductive traits from 159 CO 2 enrichment papers that provided information on 79 species. * • Across all species, CO 2 enrichment (500–800 µl l −1 ) resulted in more flowers (+19\%), more fruits (+18\%), more seeds (+16\%), greater individual seed mass (+4\%), greater total seed mass (+25\%), and lower seed nitrogen concentration, (N) (−14\%). Crops and undomesticated (wild) species did not differ in total mass response to elevated CO 2 (+31\%), but crops allocated more mass to reproduction and produced more fruits (+28\% vs +4\%) and seeds (+21\% vs +4\%) than did wild species when grown at high CO . Seed N was not affected by high CO 2 concentrations in legumes, but declined significantly in most nonlegumes. * • Our results provide robust estimates of average plant reproductive responses to CO 2 enrichment and demonstrate important differences among individual taxa and among functional groups. In particular, crops were more responsive to elevated CO 2 than were wild species. These differences and the substantial decline in seed N in many species have broad implications for the functioning of future natural and agro-ecosystems.
