A Review of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Effects on Plant Growth and Water Relations: Implications for Horticulture

Abstract

<jats:p>Empirical records provide incontestable evidence for the global rise in carbon dioxide (CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>) concentration in the earth's atmosphere. Plant growth can be stimulated by elevation of CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>; photosynthesis increases and economic yield is often enhanced. The application of more CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> can increase plant water use efficiency and result in less water use. After reviewing the available CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> literature, we offer a series of priority targets for future research, including: 1) a need to breed or screen varieties and species of horticultural plants for increased drought tolerance; 2) determining the amount of carbon sequestered in soil from horticulture production practices for improved soil water-holding capacity and to aid in mitigating projected global climate change; 3) determining the contribution of the horticulture industry to these projected changes through flux of CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> and other trace gases (i.e., nitrous oxide from fertilizer application and methane under anaerobic conditions) to the atmosphere; and 4) determining how CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>-induced changes in plant growth and water relations will impact the complex interactions with pests (weeds, insects, and diseases). Such data are required to develop best management strategies for the horticulture industry to adapt to future environmental conditions.</jats:p>

Effects of climate change on the delivery of soil‐mediated ecosystem services within the primary sector in temperate ecosystems: a review and New Zealand case study

“…), but some research suggests that the priming associated with eCO 2 can also stimulate N mineralization rates (Hungate et al ., ; Drake et al ., ). Elevated CO 2 can lead to higher soil water contents through improved plant WUE (Prior et al ., ), which may, along with any rainfall increase, result in increased leaching losses and provide conditions that favour denitrification and N 2 O emissions (Stuart et al ., ; Dijkstra et al ., ; depicted in Figs and ). Increased C allocation belowground under eCO 2 could also promote denitrification (Brown et al ., ; depicted in Fig ).…”

Climate change impacts on the vegetation carbon cycle of the Iberian Peninsula—Intercomparison of CMIP5 results

“…Nevertheless, this assertion is questionable as the IP is broadly characterized as a water-limited region [Reichstein et al, 2002]. On one hand, it is widely accepted that increased WUE composes an expectable response to a drier climate due to reduced stomatal conductance [Prior et al, 2011]. Furthermore, that mechanism regulating stomatal behavior is broadly adopted in ecosystem models.…”

“…Gaucherel et al [2008] project a significant increase in productivity of pine and oak (+26 and +43%, respectively) by the end of the 21st century, due to the direct effect of CO 2 increase. One reason refers to the fact that plants are able to increase their water-use efficiency (WUE), an important characteristic of ecosystem productivity linking carbon and water cycling [Prior et al, 2011], implying an enhanced resistance of vegetation to drought.…”

Effects of elevated CO2 on Stipa baicalensis photosynthesis depend on precipitation and growth phase

“…Water deficit decreases intercellular CO 2 concentration (C i ) and negatively affects photosynthetic capacity (Miranda-Apodaca, Pérez-López, Lacuesta, Mena-Petite, & Muñoz-Rueda, 2015;Xu & Zhou, 2011). The elevated CO 2 concentration is expected to modulate the negative effects of drought (Miranda-Apodaca et al, 2015;Prior et al, 2011). van der Kooi et al (2016) summarizes that in mild to moderate drought stress, plants exposed to elevated CO 2 shows a delay in the effects of drought stress; under severe drought conditions, the effect of elevated CO 2 is absent on photosynthesis due to metabolic inhibition.…”