Background and aims Trait-based functional ecology often assumes that plant organs (e.g. leaf, stem, root) having dense tissues (high dry matter content; DMC) are carbon (C)-expensive. However, this assumption remains largely untested. Here, we examine whether 1) C-allocation traits co-vary forming coordinated functional strategies, 2) isotopic composition of leaf carbon (δ 13 C) can be effectively traced across organs and can...

Aim The relationship between isoprenoid emission and hygrophily was investigated in woody plants of the I talian flora, which is representative of E uropean diversity. Methods Volatile isoprenoids (isoprene and monoterpenes) were measured, or data collected from the literature, for 154 species native or endemic to the M editerranean. The E llenberg indicator value for moisture ( EIVM ) was used to describe plant hygrophily. Ph...

Growing seasons are getting longer, a phenomenon partially explained by increasing global temperatures. Recent reports suggest that a strong correlation exists between warming and advances in spring phenology but that a weaker correlation is evident between warming and autumnal events implying that other factors may be influencing the timing of autumnal phenology. Using freely rooted, field‐grown Populus in two Free Air CO 2 E...

The quickly rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 )‐levels, justify the need to explore all carbon (C) sequestration possibilities that might mitigate the current CO 2 increase. Here, we report the likely impact of future increases in atmospheric CO 2 on woody biomass production of three poplar species ( Populus alba L. clone 2AS‐11, Populus nigra L. clone Jean Pourtet and Populus × euramericana clone I‐214). Trees were grow...

To determine whether globally increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations can affect carbon partitioning between nonstructural and structural carbon pools in agroforestry plantations, Populus nigra was grown in ambient air (about 370 μmol mol −1 CO 2 ) and in air with elevated CO 2 concentrations (about 550 μmol mol −1 CO 2 ) using free‐air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) technology. FACE was maintained for 5 years. Af...

How forests will respond to rising [CO 2 ] in the long term is uncertain, most studies having involved juvenile trees in chambers prior to canopy closure. Poplar free‐air CO 2 enrichment (Viterbo, Italy) is one of the first experiments to grow a forest from planting through canopy closure to coppice, entirely under open‐air conditions using free‐air CO 2 enrichment technology. Three Populus species: P . alba , P . nigra and P...