Long-term effect of elevated air humidity on seasonal variability in diurnal leaf conductance and gas exchange in silver birch

Abstract

Environmental conditions and photoperiod length drive the seasonal variability of gas exchange in plants. Still, little is known about trees’ adaptation to climate change, expressed as a delay in decreasing photosynthetic capacity at the end of the growing season. We investigated the effect of elevated air humidity (RH) and sampling period (from July to September) on the variability of net photosynthesis (An), dark respiration (R), daytime (gl_day) and night-time (gl_night) leaf conductance, an index of leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD), and An:SPAD ratio in cut shoots of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). Measurements of cut shoots were conducted in a climate chamber to eliminate the direct effect of field conditions. The An, An:SPAD ratio, and gl_day were higher in the humidification treatment (H) than in the control (C) (P < 0.05) in autumn. The R was higher in the control than in the humidification treatment across the study period. The gl_night increased considerably in September in both treatments (P < 0.05) and was significantly correlated with R. Our findings suggest that autumnal leaf conductance and gas exchange in silver birch are considerably influenced by long-term exposure to elevated RH and are probably related to a complex of leaf senescence processes, including nitrogen retranslocation.