One bit of the CO2 issue is the response of plant communities to smallish increases in CO2 enriched atmosphere. Nature evolved two distinct ways of processing CO2 in plants so it should not surprise anyone that higher atmospheric concentrations have impact on plant communities as well. The takeaway here is mostly that biomass increases of around 25-35% are to be expected in BOTH plant communities with elevated CO2.. so plants add more plant material (this sequesters CO2).. we have known for 100 years that plants are a big part of the Carbon cycle on the planet so this is not shocking news... sounds like CO2 is solved.. problem is, climate change is not weather.. if changes in the jet stream turn central US into the North American version of the Gobi desert, or the Sahara... its irrelevant what it does to plants elsewhere we are going to starve. My concern is that if we just increase plant production.. HOORAY... if these coming changes rape our Midwest then your grandkids need a place to live that is not here.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:44:18 +0000
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