Anopen-topchamberexperimentwasconductedattheUniversityofMichiganBiologicalStationnearPellston,Michigan,USA,tostudytheeffectsofsoilfertilityandCO2onleaf,stemandrootdarkrespiration(Rd)ofPopulustremuloides.Overall,area-baseddaytimeleafRd(Rda)wassignificantlygreateratelevatedthanatambientCO2inhigh-fertilitysoil,butnotinlow-fertilitysoil.Mass-basedleafRd(Rdm)wasoverallgreaterforhigh-thanforlow-fertilitysoilgrowntreesatelevated,butnotatambientCO2.NighttimeleafRdaandRdmwereunaffectedbysoilfertilityorCO2,norwasstemRda,whichrangedfrom1.0to1.4μmolm-2s-1inthespringand3.5to4.5μmolm-2s-1inthesummer.RootRdawassignificantlyhigherinhigh-thaninlow-fertilitysoil,butwasunaffectedbyCO2.SincebiomassproductionofP.tremuloideswillbesignificantlygreateratelevatedCO2whilespecificRdwilleitherincreaseorremainunchanged,wepredictthatcarbonlosstotheatmospherethroughrespirationfromthisecologicallyimportantspecieswouldincreaseathigherCO2.SoilfertilitywouldalsointeractwithelevatedCO2inaffectingthecarbonflowintheplant-soil-airsystem.
