POPFACE  A European Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment experiment  on Poplar plantations

Institute of Agrometeorology and Environmental Analysys for Agriculture                  Group 06

National Research Council (IATA-CNR)

P.le delle Cascine, 18 50144 Firenze(Italy)

Tel: +39-55-301422     Fax: +39-55-308910

Main contributions

Research Group

Qualification

The Institute of Agrometeorology and Environmental Analysis (IATA) has relevant experience in the area of Global Change Research since the late ‘80s. It participated into several R&D Projects funded both at the National and International level. Previous projects funded by the Climate, EPOCH and Environment Programmes (1986-1995) include studies on the effect of elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations on natural and cultivated vegetation. Experiments have been made at IATA in the last decade by means of the use of Open Top Chambers and FACE systems. In particular, research on the effect of elevated CO₂ in FACE has been made with crops (wheat, potato), with orchards (vineyard), with grasses and forest trees. Scientists of IATA are actively participating in the Core Project activity of IGBP-GCTE as indicated specifically below. Relevant experience also exists at IATA in the area of plant-water relations with some innovative techniques that have been developed in the last few years in the laboratory. These include xylem conductivity and tomographic analysis of tree trunks. IATA-CNR has increasing international reputation and has been recently recognized by the World Meteorological Organization as a Specialized Centre for Agrometeorology and Remote Sensisng for Area VI (Europe). Research areas at IATA include plant ecophysiology, remote sensing, geographical information system and the Institute is also involved in cooperation project with developing countries.

Experience of staff involved

Dr. Franco Miglietta: plant ecologist, graduated at the University of Firenze (I). PhD. on agro-ecological modelling (Prof. Dr. C.T.DeWit) at the University of Wageningen (The Netherlands). Since 1984 Research scientists at IATA-CNR, Firenze Italy. Experience in global change research with specific reference to the effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ on plants and ecosystems. Participation in several R&D projects funded by national and international sources including the Environment Programme of the EU. Scientists responsible for a IGBP-GCTE Core project dealing with long-term acclimatory response of vegetation to elevated CO₂. Relevant experience with FACE (Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment) technology including the participation in the international review panels of US-FACE experiments in the US (Arizona and North Carolina). Supplent member of the Italian national IGBP-Committee. Previous experience in crop modelling with emphasis on phenological development of crops and plant-atmosphere relations. Member of the National Committee for Agricultural Sciences of CNR, Italy and past member of the Information Science Committee. Scientific advisor of the Institute of Forest Ecology and Hydrology of Cosenza and the Inst. For Plant Propagation of Firenze (I). Reviewer of R&D proposals for national (CNR) and international programmes (EU, TIGER-NERC). Member of the editorial board of the International Journals Climate Research and Global Change Biology.

Dr.A.Raschi: agronomist, has been working on plant water relations in the last ten years. Since 1990 has been interested in plant response to elevated carbon dioxide. He has been taking part as contractor in two Environment Projects focussing on concurrent effects of elevated carbon dioxide and water stress in forest trees (Contracts EV5V CT 92 0093 and EV5V CT93 0438). He has been coordinator of the Environment Project “Maple” (Microevolutionary Adaptation of Plants to Elevated CO₂), in which plant response to elevated carbon dioxide was investigated by analysing the ecophysiological patterns of plants growing in the proximity of carbon dioxide springs (Contract EV5V CT93 0232). He is taking part as National Delegate in COST Project 614 “ICAT” (Impacts of Elevated CO₂ levels and Air Pollutants on Tree Physiology). He is already actively cooperating with most of the groups involved in POPFACE.

Recent publications

Miglietta F., Raschi A., Bettarini I., Selvi F. & Resti R. (1993). Carbon dioxide springs in Italy: a resource for examining long-term response of vegetation to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. Plant Cell and Environment 16:873.878.

Bindi M., Fibbi L., Gozzini B., Orlandini S. & Miglietta F. (1995). Mini Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) experiments on grapevine. In: Climate Change and Agriculture in Europe: assessment of impacts and adaptation (eds Harrison PA, Butterfield RE, Downing TE), pp. 125-137. Environmental Change Unit, Research Report n. 9, Oxford.

Bettarini I., Calderoni G., Miglietta F., Raschi A. & Ehleringer J. (1995). Isotopic discrimination and leaf nitrogen content of Erica arborea along a complex CO₂ and soil nitrogen concentration gradient in a CO₂ spring. Tree Physiology 15:327-332

Miglietta F., Giuntoli A. & Bindi M. (1996). The effect of free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) and soil nitrogen availability on the photosynthetic capacity of wheat. Photosynthesis Research 47:281-290.

Miglietta F., Bindi M., Lanini G. & Magliulo V. (1996). Free Air CO₂ Enrichment of potato: design and performance of the fumigation system. Global Change Biology (in press).

Raschi A., Tognetti R., Ridder H.W. & Beres C. (1995). Water in the stems of sessile oak (quercus petrea) assessed by computer tomography with concurrent measurements of sap velocity and ultrasound emission Plant Cell & Environment 18:545-554

Tognetti R., Giovannelli A., Longobucco A., Miglietta F. & Raschi A (1996). Water relations of oak species growing in the natural CO₂ spring of Rapolano, Central Italy Annales des Sciences Forestieres 53:475-485

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