Elevated Carbon Dioxide

Between 1958 and 2008, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increased from 316 to 385 ppm. Continued increases in CO2 concentration will significantly affect long-term climate change, including variations in agricultural yields. Focusing on this critical issue, Elevated Carbon Dioxide: Impacts on Soil and Plant Water Relations presents research conducted on field-grown sorghum, winter wheat, and rangeland plants under elevated CO2. It describes specific results from pioneering experiments performed over a seven-year period in the Evapotranspiration Laboratory at Kansas State University, along with experiments appearing in peer-reviewed journal articles. Select articles from the literature serve as examples in the text. For each paper discussed, the author includes the common and scientific name of the plant under investigation. For each experiment, the author provides the type of soil used (if given in the original article) and general conditions of the experiment. All references are carefully documented so that readers can easily find the original source. The first chapter of the book deals with drought, the three types of photosynthesis, and how water moves through the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. With a focus on soil, the next several chapters discuss the composition of the soil atmosphere, the interaction of elevated CO2 with physical factors that affect root growth, variable oxygen concentration of soil, and when the atmosphere above soil is elevated with CO2. The author goes on to examine the use of carbon isotope ratios in plant science; the effects of elevated CO2 on plant water, osmotic, and turgor potentials; and stomata under elevated CO2, including stomatal conductance and density. The text also explains the effects of elevated CO2 on transpiration and evapotranspiration, explores historical aspects of water use efficiency, compares C3 and C4 plants under elevated CO2, and details the advantages of C4 photosynthesis. The concluding chapters cover plant anatomy, the effects of elevated CO2 on phenology, and measures of plant growth. How have plants responded to increased levels of atmospheric CO2? Are some plants reacting better than others? Drawing on a host of scientific studies, this text explores how rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have impacted water in plants and soils.

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

Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are rising globally at a rapid pace, on track to surpass 550 parts per million (ppm) by midcentury. Studies have found that, when grown under elevated CO2 concentrations of 546–586 ppm, many food crops—including wheat, rice, barley, and soybeans—have lowered concentrations of nutrients, including many that are important for overall health, such as iron, zinc, and protein. Elevated CO2 also affects both the quantity and quality of forage, thereby affecting animal performance and production and, consequently, the availability of nutrients from animal-source foods, such as meat, milk, and eggs. This loss of dietary nutrients in foods could translate to increased nutritional deficiency for hundreds of millions of people already on the brink of deficiency—mainly developing countries in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa based on dietary preferences for the commodities most affected. This policy note examines the link between rising CO2 levels and declining nutritional content for a number of major crops, as well as forage. The discussion includes a comparison of the varying effects by crop, and strategies to address this challenge in the context of climate change.

Interactions of CO2 with Water, Temperature, Salinity, UV-B, Ozone, and Nutrients: -- T.C. Hsiao and R.B. Jackson, Interactive Effects of Water Stress and Elevated CO2 on Growth, Photosynthesis, and Water Use Efficiency. -- J.S. Amthor, Increasing Atmospheric CO2 Concentration, Water Use, and Water Stress: Scaling Up from the Plant to the Landscape. -- R.M.M. Crawford and D.W. Wolfe, Temperature: Cellular to Whole Plant and Population Responses. -- S.D. Smith, D.N. Jordan, and E.P. Hamerlynck, Effects of Elevated CO2 and Temperature Stress on Ecosystem Processes. -- R.E. Munns, G.R. Cramer, and M.C. Ball, Interactions Between Rising CO2, Soil Salinity, and Plant Growth. -- J. Rozema, A.H. Teramura, and M.M. Caldwell, Atmospheric CO2 Enrichment and Enhanced Solar Ultraviolet-B Radiation: Gene to Ecosystem Responses. -- A. Polle and E.J. Pell, The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Modifying the Plant Response to Ozone. -- H.H. Rogers, G.B. Runion, S.A. Prior, and H.A. Torbert, Response of Plants ...

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

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.