Abstract
Under warmer and drier climatic conditions, increase of atmospheric CO2 concentration is expected to limit the negative effects of stress on grassland production. The capacity to recover after drought could also be favored by elevated CO2, as it may improve plant growth through its primary effects on both leaf photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible mitigation effect of elevated CO2 on canopy C and water fluxes, and its consequences on forage production and quality, during and after an extreme event (soil drought x heat).