Effects of Low Atmospheric CO₂ Concentration on Growth in Arabidopsis Plants

Abstract

The atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are increasing and are projected to reach about 700 ppm by the end of the 21^st century. Effects of CO₂ concentration on the growth and physiology of plants have been investigated at molecular, biochemical, and morphology levels. Most of these studies have focused on the responses of elevated CO₂. However, little is known about effects of low CO₂ concentration on the plant growth and development. We analyzed growth rates and morphological characters of Arabidopsis plants grown under low CO₂ concentrations (50-100 ppm). We measured biomass, leaf area, stem length, root growth rate and stomatal characters. We also analyzed the effect of sugar nutrition on the plant growth under low CO₂ concentration.