Growth and senescence in plant communities exposed to elevated CO2 concentrations on an estuarine marsh.

Three high marsh communities on the Chesapeake Bay were exposed to a doubling in ambient CO2 concentration for one growing season. Open-top chambers were used to raise CO2 concentrations ca. 340 ppm above ambient over monospecific communities of Scirpus olneyi (C3) and Spartina patens (C4), and a mixed community of S. olneyi, S. patens, and Distichlis spicata (C4). Plant growth and senescence were monitored by serial, nondestructive censuses. Elevated CO2 resulted in increased shoot densities and delayed sensecence in the C3 species. This resulted in an increase in primary productivity in S. olneyi growing in both the pure and mixed communities. There was no effect of CO2 on growth in the C4 species. These results demonstrate that elevated atmospheric CO2 can cause increased aboveground production in a mature, unmanaged ecosystem.