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Plant Biology

Western University

Climate change

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Floral Traits And Carbon Dynamics Of Cucumber In Response To Climate Change, Sarah Josina Mcdonald Aug 2020

Floral Traits And Carbon Dynamics Of Cucumber In Response To Climate Change, Sarah Josina Mcdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pollination by animals is an important ecosystem service that contributes to the reproduction of many angiosperms. Climate change may alter this mutualism by affecting floral traits that are important to pollinators. Using Cucumis sativus, I tested the effects of experimentally elevated temperature and CO2 concentration on flowering onset, flower number, flower size, and floral rewards. Additionally, to better understand plant carbon balance and investment in reproduction, I measured biomass partitioning and leaf carbon fluxes of plants under their growth conditions. Carbon dynamics were similar across treatments, and plants grown under high [CO2] and temperature showed similar …


Investigating The Role Of Carbon Stress In The Mortality Of Tamarack Seedlings Under A Warming Environment, Bridget K. Murphy May 2020

Investigating The Role Of Carbon Stress In The Mortality Of Tamarack Seedlings Under A Warming Environment, Bridget K. Murphy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Climate warming is increasing the frequency of climate-induced tree mortality events. While drought combined with heat is considered the primary cause of this tree mortality, little is known about whether high temperatures alone can induce mortality, or whether rising CO2 will increase survival. I grew tamarack in two experiments combining warming (0-8 ˚C above ambient) and CO2 (400-750 ppm) to investigate whether high growth temperatures led to carbon limitations and mortality. Using glasshouses, +8 ˚C warming with ambient CO2 (8TAC) led to 40% mortality despite thermal acclimation of respiration. Dying 8TAC seedlings had lower needle carbon concentrations …


Effects Of Elevated Temperature And Elevated Co2 On Leaf Carbon Fluxes In Boreal Conifers: Lab And Field Studies, Mirindi Eric Dusenge Oct 2019

Effects Of Elevated Temperature And Elevated Co2 On Leaf Carbon Fluxes In Boreal Conifers: Lab And Field Studies, Mirindi Eric Dusenge

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Rising CO2 may warm northern latitudes up to 10 °C by the end of the century. However, responses of plant physiological processes (such as photosynthesis and respiration) and growth to climate change remain uncertain. Seedlings and mature trees of tamarack (a deciduous species) and black spruce (an evergreen species), North America dominant conifers, were exposed to combined warming (up to +9 ˚C) and elevated CO2 (up to +300 ppm). In seedlings, stomatal conductance (gs) tended to increase with warming in tamarack seedlings, while gsdeclined with warming in spruce. In both species, CO2 had …