Seedlings of Maranthes corymbosa Blume, an evergreen tree of tropical Australia and Indonesia were grown for 32 weeks under conditions of ambient and elevated (700 μmol CO₂ mol^-1) CO₂ in tropical northern Australia. Seedlings were exposed to ambient temperature, vapour pressure deficit and photon flux density fluctuations. Rates of germination and percentage germination were not affected by elevated CO₂. Total plant biomass, height growth, total plant leaf area, numbers of leaves and branches and specific leaf weight were significantly increased by elevated CO₂. Root:shoot ratio and foliar P, K, Mg, Mn and Ca levels were unaffected but foliar nitrogen levels were decreased by elevated CO₂, Nutrient-use-efficiency was unaffected for phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium but nitrogen-use-efficiency increased in response to elevated CO₂.

Full text doi:10.1071/BT9930195

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