The main objective of this thesis was to examine the effects of climate change and simulated herbivory (artificial foliage damage) on growth responses and leaf characteristics (chemical and morphological structure and consequent palatability) of silver birch (Betula pendula) seedlings. In order to achieve this target, seedlings were grown in climate controlled closed-top chambers under ambient ...

Measurements of the dependence of photosynthesis on light, CO(2), and temperature are reported for two species of Encelia (Compositae) which differ in leaf pubescence and in geographical distribution. Encelia californica is glabrous and occurs in relatively mild, but arid habitats and Encelia farinosa is heavily pubescent and occurs in hot, arid habitats. Both species possess the C(3) photosynt...

This study analyzed the characteristics of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) functional trait responses to geographic and climatic factors in the eastern region of Northeast China (41°-48°N) and the linear relationships among Korean pine functional traits, to explore this species' adaptability and ecological regulation strategies under different environmental conditions. Korean pine samples were c...

Plant respiration constitutes a massive carbon flux to the atmosphere, and a major control on the evolution of the global carbon cycle. It therefore has the potential to modulate levels of climate change due to the human burning of fossil fuels. Neither current physiological nor terrestrial biosphere models adequately describe its short-term temperature response, and even minor differences in t...

Previous experiments have demonstrated positive effect of Acadian(®) extract of Ascophyllum nodosum on plant stress-resistance, however the mode of action is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to understand the physiological effect of Acadian(®) seaweed extract on the plant response to drought stress. Leaf temperature and leaf angle were measured as early-stage indicators of plant ...

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the early water stress in maize using leaf-level measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and temperature. In this study, a series of diurnal measurements, such as leaf chlorophyll fluorescence (Fs), leaf spectrum, temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), were conducted for maize during gradient watering and filled watering experime...

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] grain yield is severely affected by abiotic and biotic stresses during post-flowering stages, which has been aggravated by climate change. New parental lines having genes for various biotic and abiotic stress tolerances have the potential to mitigate this negative effect. Field studies were conducted under irrigated and dryland conditions with 128 exotic ge...

The effects of seedling age and temperature regimes and durations on the reversal of Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shin. heat-induced rosette formation were clarified. When E. grandiflorum seedlings were grown in a natural-light phytotron (600-800 μmol·m·s) for 4 weeks at 33/28C (12-h day/12-h night) from germination to the four true-leaf stage, the optimum temperature and duration required to br...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Growth of grass species in temperate-humid regions is restricted by low temperatures. This study analyses the origin (intrinsic or size-mediated) and mechanisms (activity of individual meristems vs. number of active meristems) of differences between Bromus stamineus and Lolium perenne in the response of leaf elongation to moderately low temperatures. METHODS Field experime...