ECOTYPIC DIFFERENTIATION OF RESPONSE TO ENHANCED CO2 AND TEMPERATURE LEVELS IN ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA

Five ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana, from widely dispersed origins, were grown under combinations of ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and ambient and elevated temperatures within solardomes. Total above-ground plant biomass was measured when the majority of plants across all ecotypes and treatments had formed seed pods. There were substantial differences in biomass between the ecotypes across all treatments. Temperature had no effect on biomass whilst CO2 had a significant effect both alone and in interaction with ecotype. The CO2 x ecotype interaction was mostly due to the enhancement of a single ecotype from the Cape Verde Islands.