By investigating the RD-Ca (dark respiration rate-atmospheric CO2 concentration) and PN (net photosynthetic rate)-Ca curves of bamboo (Fargesia denudata) and poplar (Populus cathayanna), we found that: (1) the minimal RD was close to ambient CO2 concentration, and the elevated or decreased atmospheric CO2 concentration enhanced the RD of both species; (2) the response curves of RD-Ca were simulated well by quadratic function. This phenomenon might be an inherent property of leaf R of F. denudata and P. cathayanna. If this was true, it implies that effect of CO2 on
RD could be interpreted with the relationship of RD-Ca curves and the quadratic function. and Y.-Z. Qiao ... [et al.].