<i>Diospyros texana</i> (Texas persimmon) is a secondary species in most <i>Junip</i><i>e</i><i>rus ashei/Quercus fusiformis</i><i> </i>woodlands in central Texas. It has high density, but plants are mostly in the community understory. Light response curves at ambient and elevated levels of CO<sub>2</sub> and temperature were measured for <i>D. texana</i>. The <i>A</i><i><sub>net</sub></i> (photosynthetic rate) increased significantly as both light level and CO<sub>2</sub> levels increased but not temperature. The <i>A</i><i><sub>max</sub></i> (maximum photosynthetic rate) of <i>D. texana</i> in full sun at elevated levels of CO<sub>2</sub> was increased for all treatments. Stomatal conductance increased with levels of CO<sub>2</sub> but only if the interaction was removed from the model. Intercellular levels of CO<sub>2</sub> increased with both temperature and CO<sub>2</sub> treatments as did water use efficiency (WUE). Furthermore, light saturation (<i>L</i><i><sub>sat</sub></i>) increased with CO<sub>2</sub> treatments and light compensation (<i>L</i><i><sub>cp</sub></i>) increased with temperature. The dark respiration (<i>R</i><i><sub>d</sub></i>) increased with both temperature and CO<sub>2</sub> treatments. Markov population models suggested <i>D. texana</i> populations would remain ecologically similar in the future. However, sub-canopy light levels and herbivory should be considered when examining population projections. For example, <i>Juniperus ashei</i> juveniles are not recruited into any canopy unless there are high light levels. Herbivory reduces the success of <i>Quercus</i> juveniles from reaching the canopy. These factors do not seem to be a problem for <i>D. texana</i> juveniles which would allow them to reach the canopy without need of a high light gap and are not prevented by herbivory. Thus, <i>Juniperus/Quercus</i> woodlands will change in the future to woodlands with <i>D. texana</i> a more common species.
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