Last Updated:
February 28, 2007

GCRIO Program Overview

Library 
Our extensive collection of documents.

Privacy Policy

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

FROM VOLUME 5, NUMBER 7, JULY 1992

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS...
IMPACTS OF ELEVATED CO₂

Item #d92jul48

"Photosynthesis and Water Relations of Big Bluestem (C4) and Kentucky Bluegrass (C3) under High Concentration Carbon Dioxide," H. He (Dept. Agron., Kansas State Univ., Manhattan KS 66506), D.J. Lawlor, E.T. Kanemasu, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 95(1-2), 139-152, 1992.

Grasses were grown in a Kansas tallgrass prairie under ambient and doubled levels of CO₂. Among other influences, elevated CO₂ increased the photosynthetic rate of Kentucky bluegrass by 141% but did not affect the photosynthetic rate of big bluestem. It decreased water requirements by 158% and 42%, respectively.

Item #d92jul49

Two items from Plant Cell Environ., 15(3), Apr. 1992:

"Modeling Photosynthesis of Cotton Grown in Elevated CO₂," P.C. Harley (Duke Univ. Phytotron, Durham NC 27706), R.B. Thomas et al., 271-282.

A widely accepted model of C3 leaf photosynthesis was parameterized based on plants grown at either 35 or 65 Pa CO₂. To obtain reasonable agreement, it was necessary to include phosphate limitation resulting from inadequate triose phosphate utilization. Plants grown at high CO₂ incorporated 30% more biomass during the first 36 days of growth.

"Seasonal Fine Root Biomass Development of Sour Orange Trees Grown in Atmospheres of Ambient and Elevated CO₂ Concentration," S.B. Idso (U.S. Water Conserv. Lab., 4331 E. Broadway, Phoenix AZ 85040), B.A. Kimball, 337-341.

Trees were grown in plastic-walled, open-top enclosures from seedlings for 3.5 years. Trees at elevated CO₂ (300 micro mol/mol) had over twice the fine-root biomass in the top 0.4 m of soil over the last 12 months.

Item #d92jul50

"CO₂LT: An Automated, Null-Balance System for Studying the Effects of Elevated CO₂ and Global Climate Change on Unmanaged Ecosystems," (see Prof. Pubs./Clim. Change Impacts/Ecosystems, this issue--July 1992).

Item #d92jul51

"Leaf Photosynthesis and Water Use of Big Bluestem under Elevated Carbon Dioxide," M.B. Kirkham (Dept. Agron., Kansas State Univ., Manhattan KS 66506), H. He et al., Crop Sci., 31(6), 1589-1594, Nov.-Dec. 1991.

Bluestem was grown in a tallgrass prairie at 337 or 658 micro mol/mol; plastic cylinders maintained either a high water level (field capacity) or a low level (half field capacity). Elevated CO₂ reduced transpiration rate by 25% and 35%, respectively, under the high- and low-water treatments, and had other effects.

Item #d92jul52

Two items from Can. J. Bot., 69(11), Nov. 1991:

"Phenology and Growth in Four Annual Species Grown in Ambient and Elevated CO₂," E.G. Reekie (Biol. Dept., Acadia Univ., Wolfville, N.S. B0P 1X0, Can.), F.A. Bazzaz, 2475-2481.

Elevated CO₂ (525 and 700 micro L/L) did not appear to affect development through its effect on growth. The level of CO₂ changed competitive outcome among the four species; this and other changes were more closely related to the effect of CO₂ on growth than its effect on phenology.

"Photosynthetic Response of Geranium to Elevated CO₂ as Affected by Leaf Age and Time of CO₂ Exposure," D.W. Kelly, P.R. Hicklenton, E.G. Reekie (Acadia Univ., addr. above), 2482-2488.

Results suggest that photosynthesis at low CO₂ was limited by CO₂ regardless of the developmental environment, whereas photosynthesis at high CO₂ was limited by the developmental characteristics of the leaf. Future studies should consider leaf age in assessing response to elevated CO₂.

Item #d92jul53

"The Influence of Carbon Dioxide and Daily Photon Flux Density on Optimal Leaf Nitrogen Concentration and Root:Shoot Ratio," D.W. Hilbert (Systems Ecol. Res., San Diego State Univ., San Diego CA 92182), A. Larigauderie, J.F. Reynolds, Ann. Bot., 68(4), 365-376, Oct. 1991.

Using a cost-benefit model, the leaf N concentration and root:shoot ratio that maximize whole-plant relative growth rate were determined as a function of the aboveground environment. The observed adjustments plants make to light and CO₂ appear to be adaptive.

Item #d92jul54

"A General Relationship between CO₂-Induced Increases in Net Photosynthesis and Concomitant Reductions in Stomatal Conductance," S.B. Idso (U.S. Water Conserv. Lab., 4331 E. Broadway, Phoenix AZ 85040), Environ. Exper. Bot., 31(4), 381-383, Oct. 1991. Measurements on sour orange trees, cotton, soybeans and water hyacinth suggest that a plant's photosynthetic response to CO₂ enrichment is inversely proportional to its degree of CO₂-induced stomatal closure.

Item #d92jul55

Comment and reply on "Modeling the Seasonal Contribution of a CO₂ Fertilization Effect of the Terrestrial Vegetation to the Amplitude Increase in Atmospheric CO₂ at Mauna Loa Observatory," Tellus, 43B(3), 338-346, July 1991.

Item #d92jul56

"Effects of Elevated CO₂ Concentration on the Polyamine Levels of Field-Grown Soybean at Three O3 Regimes," G.F. Kramer, E.H. Lee (Clim. Stress Lab., USDA, ARS, 206 Bldg. 001, Beltsville MD 20705) et al., Environ. Pollut., 73(2), 137-152, 1991.

Examination of the growth and physiological characteristics of plants grown in open-top field chambers showed that increased CO₂ ameliorated the deleterious effects of increased O3.

Item #d92jul57

"A Branch Exposure Chamber for Fumigating Ponderosa Pine to Atmospheric Pollution," J.L.J. Houpis (Environ. Sci. Div., Lawrence Livermore Lab., L-559, POB 5507, Livermore CA 94550), M.P. Costella, S. Cowles, J. Environ. Qual., 20(2), 467-474, Apr.-June 1991. Describes the design, construction and testing of an alternative tool to whole-tree enclosures for the difficult task of exposing mature trees to controlled environments of air pollutants.