TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term effects of elevated CO2, nighttime warming and drought on plant secondary metabolites in a temperate heath ecosystem

AU - Li, Tao

AU - Tiiva, Päivi

AU - Rinnan, Åsmund

AU - Julkunen-Tiitto, Riitta

AU - Michelsen, Anders

AU - Rinnan, Riikka

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plant secondary metabolites play critical roles in plant stress tolerance and adaptation, and are known to be influenced by the environment and climate changes, yet the impacts and interactions of multiple climate change components are poorly understood, particularly under natural conditions. METHODS: Accumulation of phenolics and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were assessed on heather, Calluna vulgaris, an abundant evergreen dwarf shrub in European heathlands, after 6 years of exposure to elevated CO2, summer drought and nighttime warming. KEY RESULTS: Drought alone had the strongest effects on phenolic concentrations and compositions, with moderate effects of elevated CO2 and temperature. Elevated CO2 exerted the greatest impact on VOC emissions, mainly by increasing monoterpene emissions. The response magnitudes varied among plant tissue types and chemical constituents, and across time. With respect to interactive effects of the studied climate change components, the interaction between drought and elevated CO2 was most apparent. Drought mainly reduced phenolic accumulation and VOC emissions, while elevated CO2 mitigated such effects. CONCLUSIONS: In natural ecosystems, co-occurring climate factors can exert complex impacts on plant secondary metabolite profiles, which may in turn alter ecosystem processes.

AB - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plant secondary metabolites play critical roles in plant stress tolerance and adaptation, and are known to be influenced by the environment and climate changes, yet the impacts and interactions of multiple climate change components are poorly understood, particularly under natural conditions. METHODS: Accumulation of phenolics and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were assessed on heather, Calluna vulgaris, an abundant evergreen dwarf shrub in European heathlands, after 6 years of exposure to elevated CO2, summer drought and nighttime warming. KEY RESULTS: Drought alone had the strongest effects on phenolic concentrations and compositions, with moderate effects of elevated CO2 and temperature. Elevated CO2 exerted the greatest impact on VOC emissions, mainly by increasing monoterpene emissions. The response magnitudes varied among plant tissue types and chemical constituents, and across time. With respect to interactive effects of the studied climate change components, the interaction between drought and elevated CO2 was most apparent. Drought mainly reduced phenolic accumulation and VOC emissions, while elevated CO2 mitigated such effects. CONCLUSIONS: In natural ecosystems, co-occurring climate factors can exert complex impacts on plant secondary metabolite profiles, which may in turn alter ecosystem processes.

KW - Calluna vulgaris

KW - climate change

KW - coastal heath

KW - drought

KW - elevated CO2

KW - nighttime warming

KW - phenolics

KW - plant secondary metabolites

KW - tannin

KW - temperate grassland

KW - volatile organic compound

U2 - 10.1093/aob/mcaa037

DO - 10.1093/aob/mcaa037

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32157285

AN - SCOPUS:85085904458

VL - 125

SP - 1065

EP - 1075

JO - Annals of Botany

JF - Annals of Botany

SN - 0305-7364

IS - 7

ER -