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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 5, NUMBER 12, DECEMBER 1992

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS...
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS: CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS

Item #d92dec84

J. Exper. Bot., 43(253), Aug. 1992, contains papers (mainly reviews) from a meeting held in San Miniato, Italy, Sep. 1990.

"Past, Present and Future Levels of Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere and Model Predictions of Related Climatic Changes," E. Roeckner (M. Planck Inst. Meteor., Bundesstr. 55, W-2000 Hamburg 13, Ger.), 1097-1109. Paleoclimatic data and model results are consistent with the hypothesis that climate and greenhouse gas concentrations interact in a positive feedback loop. Climate models predict future significant warming unless industrial emissions are curtailed.

"Biosphere Structure, Carbon Sequestering Potential and the Atmospheric 14C Carbon Record," J. Goudriaan (Dept. Theoret. Production Ecol., Agric. Univ., POB 430, 6700AA Wageningen, Neth.), 1111-1119. The behavior of a numerical model of the global carbon cycle is elucidated using a simple analytical model for the biosphere. Topics addressed include the CO₂-fertilization effect, and transfers of carbon from the upper mixed ocean layer to the deep sea and to the atmosphere.

"The Direct Effect of Increased CO₂ on Gas Exchange and Growth of Forest Tree Species," M. Mousseau (CNRS-URA 121, Lab. d'Écol. Végétale, Univ. Paris Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France), B. Saugier, 1121-1130. Reviews different experimental approaches taken, and principal results. Emphasizes the large areas of ignorance, particularly reasons for the different responses of different species.

"Water Stress, CO₂ and Climate Change," M.M. Chaves (Inst. Super Agron., Tapada Ajuda, P-1399 Lisbon, Portugal), J.S. Pereira, 1131-1139. Reviews understanding of whether a high CO₂ concentration can compensate for the decrease in carbon gain in water-stressed plants. Experimental and model evidence suggests that there may be a partial compensation.

"Mineral Nutrition and Plant Growth Response to Climate Change," T.R. Sinclair (USDA-ARS, Univ. Florida, Gainesville FL 32611), 1141-1146. A review of possible influences shows that it is very difficult to predict plant growth response to climate change because of the large uncertainty about mineral availability.

"The Effects of Climate Change on Development in Wheat: Analysis and Modeling," F. Miglietta, J.R. Porter (Dept. Agric. Sci., Univ. Bristol, AFRC Inst. Arable Crops, Long Ashton Res. Sta., Bristol BS18 9AF, UK), 1147-1158. The application of two models, which differ in approach to predicting plant development, are used to identify new ideotypes of wheat suitable for altered risk of spring frost and an earlier start to the dry season.

"Some Implications of Climatic Change for Agriculture in Europe," T.R. Carter (Environ. Change Unit., Univ. Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TB, UK), J.H. Porter, M.L. Parry, 1159-1167. Gives initial results of a study to evaluate the broad-scale sensitivity of agriculture. Predicts a rate of shift of the grain maize limit that could be unprecedented in the historical record.

"Effects of Climate Change and a Doubling of CO₂ on Vegetation Diversity," L. Rochefort (Dept. Animal & Plant Sci., Univ. Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2UQ, UK), 1169-1180. Presents a model for predicting the response of global family diversity to environmental change, including direct effects of elevated CO₂ on transpiration. About one-third of the floristic regions of the world exhibit increased diversity under expected climatic change, especially the dry regions.