Carbon Dioxide Populations And Communities

In past decades and in association with a continuing global industrial development, the global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has been rising. Among the many predictions made concerning this disturbing trend is global warming sufficient to melt polar ice-caps thereby dramatically altering existing shorelines. This book will help fill an obvious gap in the carbon dioxide debate by substituting date for speculation. * * Includes contributions from leading authorities around the world * Serves as a companion to Carbon Dioxide and Terrestrial Ecosystems * The first book of its kind to explore evolutionary responses of both populations and communities to elevated carbon dioxide

This book focuses on the interactive effects of environmental stresses with plant and ecosystem functions, especially with respect to changes in the abundance of carbon dioxide. The interaction of stresses with elevated carbon dioxide are presented from the cellular through whole plant ecosystem level. The book carefully considers not only the responses of the above-ground portion of the plant, but also emphasizes the critical role of below-ground (rhizosphere) components (e.g., roots, microbes, soil) in determining the nature and magnitude of these interactions. * Will rising CO2 alter the importance of environmental stress in natural and agricultural ecosystems?* Will environmental stress on plants reduce their capacity to remove CO2 from the atmosphere?* Are some stresses more important than others as we concern ourselves with global change?* Can we develop predictive models useful for scientists and policy-makers?* Where should future research efforts be focused?

As man's ability to disrupt the climate becomes increasingly apparent,evidence is mounting that human-activity-induced climate changes may well rival anything nature can produce. If the consensus of the international climatological community is correct, and if worldwide use of fossil fuel continues to increase atmospheric carbon dioxide, mankind is

The question of whether the earth's climate is changing in some significant human-induced way remains a matter of much debate. But the fact that climate is variable over time is well known. These two elements of climatic uncertainty affect water resources planning and management in the American West. Managing Water Resources in the West Under Conditions of Climate Uncertainty examines the scientific basis for predictions of climate change, the implications of climate uncertainty for water resources management, and the management options available for responding to climate variability and potential climate change.

The social cost of carbon (SC-CO2) is an economic metric intended to provide a comprehensive estimate of the net damages - that is, the monetized value of the net impacts, both negative and positive - from the global climate change that results from a small (1-metric ton) increase in carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions. Under Executive Orders regarding regulatory impact analysis and as required by a court ruling, the U.S. government has since 2008 used estimates of the SC-CO2 in federal rulemakings to value the costs and benefits associated with changes in CO2 emissions. In 2010, the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (IWG) developed a methodology for estimating the SC-CO2 across a range of assumptions about future socioeconomic and physical earth systems. Valuing Climate Changes examines potential approaches, along with their relative merits and challenges, for a comprehensive update to the current methodology. This publication also recommends near- and longer-term research priorities to ensure that the SC- CO2 estimates reflect the best available science.

The importance of carbon dioxide extends from cellular to global levels of organization and potential ecological deterioration may be the result of increased CO2 in our atmosphere. Recently, the research emphasis shifted from studies of photosynthesis pathways and plant growth to ground-breaking studies of carbon dioxide balances in ecosystems, regions, and even the entire globe. Carbon Dioxide and Terrestrial Ecosystems addresses these new areas of research. Economically important woody ecosystems are emphasized because they have substantial influence on global carbon dioxide balances. Herbaceous ecosystems (e.g., grasslands, prairies, wetlands) and crop ecosystems are also covered. The interactions among organisms, communities, and ecosystems are modeled, and the book closes with an important synthesis of this growing nexus of research. Carbon Dioxide and Terrestrial Ecosystems is a compilation of detailed scientific studies that reveal how ecosystems generally, and particular plants specifically, respond to changed levels of carbon dioxide. Contributions from an international team of experts Empirical examination of the actual effects of carbon dioxide Variety of terrestrial habitats investigated Specific plants and whole ecosystems offered as studies