The EUROFACE project is based on the coordinated
use and continuous updating of a commonly used European infrastructure.
The impact of elevated
CO2 and nitrogen fertilisation will be characterised at the ecosystem
level taking full advantage of the scale of experimental design implemented
in EUROFACE. At the present, work carried out by the group of scientist
working on the project can be separated into the following workpackages:
•Canopy structure, light interception
and physiological acclimation
Regulation of the spatial distribution of leaf photosynthetic capacity
within canopies by the elevated CO2/N treatments
and application of imaging fluorescence technique for spatial investigation
of photosynthetic
activity within the canopy.
Monitoring of stand growth dynamics, biomass
production, competition, light profiles (light quality and quantity),
leaf characteristics (SLA, N, chl) and leaf area
index.
•Nutrients/carbon interactions
Determination of nutrients levels dynamics of plants and soil pools and
assessment of elevated CO2 effects on nitrogen cycling. •Environmental
genomics and post-genomics
We are using the latest microarray techniques and high through-put
proteomics
and metabolomics to quantify the long term genetic adaptation
to future carbon
dioxide and how this relates to function, in particular, photosynthesis,
carbon metabolism, growth and development and partitioning.
•Belowground productivity and carbon transfer
Measuring roots productivity and turnover at stand scale under environmental
change conditions
•Determinants of C-losses and decomposition
Determining soil respiration, woody stem respiration and litter decomposition
functions.
•Energy balance and water requirements
Determining leaf stomatal conductance, transpiration and canopy-level
water fluxes in CO2 contrasting conditions.
•Model comparison and testing
Integarting responses of different structural and functional components
to elevated CO2.
•Full carbon budget under present and future conditions
Combining all carbon fluxes and stock changes between the different plant,
nutrient and atmospheric compartments at the ecosystem level.
•Wood quality and complex compounds
Quantification of climate change impacts on wood quality and secondary
metabolites in tree stands.
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