Interaction of CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations and water stress in semiarid plants causes diverging response in instantaneous water use efficiency and carbon isotope composition

Zhao, Na; Meng, Ping; He, Yabing; Yu, Xinxiao

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3431-2017

Articles | Volume 14, issue 14

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3431-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Special issue:

Ecosystem processes and functioning across current and future...

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3431-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 14, issue 14

Research article

|

20 Jul 2017

Research article |

| 20 Jul 2017

Interaction of CO₂ concentrations and water stress in semiarid plants causes diverging response in instantaneous water use efficiency and carbon isotope composition

Na Zhao, Ping Meng, Yabing He, and Xinxiao Yu

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Final revised paper (published on 20 Jul 2017)
Supplement to the final revised paper
Preprint (discussion started on 07 Sep 2016)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC1: 'Referee Comment on Zhao et al. Differences in instantaneous water use efficiency derived from post-carboxylation fractionation respond to the interaction of CO2 concentrations and water stress in semi-arid areas', Juan Pedro Ferrio Diaz, 23 Oct 2016
- EC1: 'Appreciation of the reviewer's input', Charles Bourque, 04 Nov 2016
  - AC1: 'Response referee's comments (bg-2016-372)', Xinxiao Yu, 21 Dec 2016
RC2: 'Differences in instantaneous water use efficiency derived from post-carboxylation fractionation respond to the interaction of CO2 concentrations and water stress in semi-arid areas', Anonymous Referee #2, 19 Jan 2017
- AC2: 'Response to referee's comments (bg-2016-372)', Xinxiao Yu, 23 Jan 2017

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

ED: Reconsider after major revisions (03 Feb 2017) by Charles Bourque

AR by Xinxiao Yu on behalf of the Authors (19 Feb 2017) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (20 Feb 2017) by Charles Bourque

RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (24 Feb 2017)

RR by Anonymous Referee #3 (02 Mar 2017)

Suggestions for revision or reasons for rejection

This study investigated the important topic concerning the carbon isotope divergence imposed by the interaction of CO2 concentration and water stress, which could be accounted for both the mesophyll conductance and post-carboxylation. The findings of this study is interesting and worth publication. The paper is well-written and well–organized, and the topic falls into the scope of BG Journal, I recommend to accept it in the present version.
General comments:
This study highlighted that the post-carboxylation could decipher the observed carbon isotopic divergence in the interaction of CO2 concentrations and water availability based on the δ13C of water-soluble compounds and gas-exchange measurements, while mesophyll conductance are taken account for the above divergence of carbon isotope. Although related researches that described the effects of the environmental factors and their interactions on δ13C of leaf water-soluble organic matter and instantaneous water use efficiency has been carried out, there is no clear consensus on the primary causes of the carbon isotope discrimination in response to the interaction of environmental conditions. In this context, the assumption is confirmed that the 13C fractionation from the site of carboxylation to cytoplasm before sugars transportation does exist, which could be stated by the post-carboxylation in leaf and respond to the orthogonal treatments of environmental factors. The mesophyll conductance cannot be neglected and was investigated to explain the contribution on the differences of δ13C from two methods.
This investigation of two species under orthogonal treatments of [CO2] and water stress leads to the conclusion that post-carboxylation fractionation generated in leaves is worth our further consideration on the clear description and environmental dependence in the process of carbon assimilation. This information has clear implication in the prospect of global climate change.

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ED: Reconsider after major revisions (17 Mar 2017) by Charles Bourque

AR by Xinxiao Yu on behalf of the Authors (17 Apr 2017) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (Editor review) (26 Apr 2017) by Charles Bourque

AR by Xinxiao Yu on behalf of the Authors (04 May 2017) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (Editor review) (17 May 2017) by Charles Bourque

AR by Xinxiao Yu on behalf of the Authors (25 May 2017) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (05 Jun 2017) by Charles Bourque

AR by Xinxiao Yu on behalf of the Authors (12 Jun 2017) Author's response Manuscript

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Short summary

Few researchers have investigated post-photosynthetic ¹³C fractionation happening in leaves. Potted saplings were cultivated under orthogonal treatments of CO₂ concentration and soil water content. The ¹³C fractionation from mesophyll conductance and post-carboxylation both contributed to the total ¹³C fractionation that was determined by δ¹³C of water-soluble compounds and gas-exchange measurements.

Interaction of CO2 concentrations and water stress in semiarid plants causes diverging response in instantaneous water use efficiency and carbon isotope composition

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Interactive discussion

Peer-review completion

Interaction of CO₂ concentrations and water stress in semiarid plants causes diverging response in instantaneous water use efficiency and carbon isotope composition