Most studies of the effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment on Earth’s vegetation have dealt with common terrestrial plants, ranging from grasses to trees, while very few have focused on sizable plants of aquatic realms. This summary reports the results of several research studies that have evaluated the responses of marine macroalgae to elevated levels of atmospheric CO2.
Nearly all crops respond to increases in the air’s CO2 content by displaying enhanced rates of photosynthesis and biomass production; and in this brief review of some recent pertinent papers, we find that tomato is no exception to the rule, even when grown under stressful conditions of fungal infection and high soil salinity.
Nearly all agricultural species — including C4 plants — respond positively to increases in the air’s CO2 content by displaying enhanced rates of photosynthesis and biomass production, as well as higher rates of water use efficiency. This summary reviews some of the impacts of these and other related phenomena as they pertain to the C4 crop species of… Read More »
The common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a large annual forb of the genus Helianthus. First domesticated in the Americas, sunflower is cultivated across the world for its oil and fruits. Sunflower seeds (the edible fruit) are typically produced and sold as a snack food for human consumption, bird feed, or as livestock forage. Sunflower oil (extracted from the… Read More »
Atmospheric CO2 enrichment typically enhances photosynthesis and biomass production in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under normal growing conditions. But what happens when environmental conditions are less than ideal? This Summary investigates this question as it pertains to the impact of air pollutants on the growth and development of wheat, as learned from a number of scientific studies published… Read More »
Most of the ocean acidification research conducted to date has focused solely on the biological impacts of declining seawater pH. Fewer studies have investigated the interactive effects of ocean acidification and temperature. This summary examines what has been learned in several of such studies for coral reefs, as reported in various field-based studies on the topic. Contrary to… Read More »
Back when the atmosphere’s CO2 concentration was approximately 340 ppm (up from a preindustrial value on the order of 280 ppm), Idso (1982) stated in a small self-published book (Carbon Dioxide: Friend or Foe?) that if the air’s CO2 content continued to climb, it would ultimately enhance plant growth and water use efficiency to the point that semi-arid… Read More »
As the air’s CO2 content rises in response to ever-increasing anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and as more and more carbon dioxide therefore dissolves in the surface waters of the world’s oceans, theoretical reasoning suggests the pH values of the planet’s oceanic waters should be gradually dropping. The IPCC and others postulate that this chain of events, commonly referred to… Read More »
Nearly all agricultural crops respond to increases in the air’s CO2 content by displaying enhanced rates of photosynthesis and biomass production. In this brief summary, we review the results of some of the studies that have evaluated these effects and the effects of climate-model predicted changes in air temperature, precipitation and ozone pollution on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)… Read More »
Coccolithophores are single-celled algae and protists that are found throughout the surface euphotic zones of the world’s oceans. They contain chlorophyll, conduct photosynthesis and possess special plates or scales known as coccoliths, which they create via the process of calcification. This summary briefly reviews the results of several studies investigating how coccolithophores may be affected by ocean acidification… Read More »