Direct effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration on whole canopy dark respiration of rice

The purpose of this study was to test for direct inhibition of rice canopy apparent respiration by elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) across a range of short-term air temperature treatments. Rice (cv. IR-72) was grown in eight naturally sunlit, semiclosed, plant growth chambers at daytime [CO2] treatments of 350 and 700 μmol mol-1. Short-term night-time air temperature treatments ranged from 21 to 40 °C. Whole canopy respiration, expressed on a ground area basis (Rd), was measured at night by periodically venting the chambers with ambient air. This night-time chamber venting and resealing procedure produced a range of increasing chamber [CO2] which we used to test for potential inhibitory effects of rising [CO2] on Rd. A nitrous oxide leak detection system was used to correct Rd measurements for chamber leakage rate (L) and also to determine if apparent reductions in night-time Rd with rising [CO2] could be completely accounted for by L. The L was affected by both CO2 concentration gradient between the chamber and ambient air and the inherent leakiness of each individual chamber. Nevertheless, after correcting Rd for L, we detected a rapid and reversible, direct inhibition of Rd with rising chamber [CO2] for air temperatures above 21 °C. This effect was larger for the 350 compared with the 700 μmol mol-1 daytime [CO2] treatment and was also increased with increasing short-term air temperature treatments. However, little difference in Rd was found between the two daytime [CO2] treatments when night-time [CO2] was at the respective daytime [CO2]. These results suggest that naturally occurring diurnal changes in both ambient [CO2] and air temperature can affect Rd. Because naturally occurring diurnal changes in both [CO2] and air temperature can be expected in a future higher CO2 world, short-term direct effects of these environmental variables on rice Rd can also be expected.