Seasonal changes in the CO2 fixation rate and water-use efficiency in the leaves of six evergreen and two deciduous broad-leaved tree species on Jeju Island, Korea, were measured using a portable photosynthesis analyzer, to identify which species are most efficient in taking up CO2 from the air. The CO2 fixation rate was high in the deciduous species in spring and summer and decreased in fall, whereas it was high in the evergreen species in summer and fall and decreased in winter. The rate remained high in the deciduous tree Prunus yedoensis from spring to fall (> 7.1 μmol CO2/m2/s) and in two evergreen trees, Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii and Cinnamomum camphora, in summer and fall (7.0 9.9 μmol CO2/m2/s). Therefore, these tree species fix atmospheric CO2 effectively. The water-use efficiency was higher in evergreen species than in deciduous species regardless of the season. Exceptionally, it was high in the deciduous species Zelkova serrata in spring and summer (> 100 μmol CO2/mol H2O), suggesting that Z. serrata is a useful tree for dry conditions due to its tolerance of water stress. The regressions of the CO2 fixation rate versus the evaporation rate and stomatal conductance were linear and non-linear, respectively. This suggests that the stomatal activity of leaves plays an important part in CO2 fixation of plants. In conclusion, C. cuspidata var. sieboldii, C. camphora, and P. yedoensis should be planted along roads or in urban spaces for the greening of cities and mitigation of CO2 concentrations in the air.

The rate of photosynthesis (A) of leaves from 10 plant species (6 evergreen and 4 deciduous) of the family Fagaceae was measured using a portable photosynthesis analyzer, to examine which species take up CO2 most efficiently. Of the evergreen species, the photosynthetic rate of Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii was highest, and remained above 82.1～106.4 μmol kg-1s-1 from July to November. Of the deciduous species, the photosynthetic rate of Quercus acutissima was higher than that of the other three species, and remained high at 83.5～116.6 μmol kg-1s-1 from September to November. The photosynthetic rate of the 10 species was positively correlated with stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E). However, there was no correlation between photosynthetic rate and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), although there was a positive correlation just in three species (Q. gilva, Q. acutissima and Q. glauca). These results suggest that the CO2 fixation capacity of C. cuspidata var. sieboldii, an evergreen species, and Q. acutissima, a deciduous species, is significantly higher than that of the other species examined, and that photosynthesis is regulated by both stomatal conductance and transpiration. Therefore, C. cuspidata var. sieboldii and Q. acutissima may be valuable for the evaluation of carbon uptake in urban green spaces as well as in afforested areas.