Posted on 03/09/2017 5:18:36 PM PST by Stopthethreat
Increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) have helped boost green foliage across the world's arid regions over the past 30 years through a process called CO2 fertilisation, according to CSIRO research.
In findings based on satellite observations, CSIRO, in collaboration with the Australian National University (ANU), found that this CO2 fertilisation correlated with an 11 per cent increase in foliage cover from 1982-2010 across parts of the arid areas studied in Australia, North America, the Middle East and Africa, according to CSIRO research scientist, Dr Randall Donohue.
"In Australia, our native vegetation is superbly adapted to surviving in arid environments and it consequently uses water very efficiently," Dr Donohue said. "Australian vegetation seems quite sensitive to CO2 fertilisation.
This, along with the vast extents of arid landscapes, means Australia featured prominently in our results."
"While a CO2 effect on foliage response has long been speculated, until now it has been difficult to demonstrate," according to Dr Donohue.
"Our work was able to tease-out the CO2 fertilisation effect by using mathematical modelling together with satellite data adjusted to take out the observed effects of other influences such as precipitation, air temperature, the amount of light, and land-use changes."
The fertilisation effect occurs where elevated CO2 enables a leaf during photosynthesis, the process by which green plants convert sunlight into sugar, to extract more carbon from the air or lose less water to the air, or both.
If elevated CO2 causes the water use of individual leaves to drop, plants in arid environments will respond by increasing their total numbers of leaves. These changes in leaf cover can be detected by satellite, particularly in deserts and savannas where the cover is less complete than in wet locations, according to Dr Donohue.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
from another article:
“Experts from the university engaged in a study that ultimately showed that the West African Sahel, the strip south of the Sahara desert, has been “regreening” ever since droughts in the 1970s and 80s killed more than 100,000 people. They maintain that increased rainfall caused by climate change has led to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which has spurred more plant growth and community-led farming efforts.
The region is turning around and experiencing a vast change from the drought and deaths that once plagued it. The area is greening, plants are growing, and people are coming together. These changes bring improvements in the physical and emotional well-being of the region’s inhabitants, which can ultimately bolster relationships and reverse poverty levels.”
Thats terrble! Stop CO2 NOW!
Sounds like the rain causes deserts to turn green. What a profound revelation.
Is this bad news for the “climate refugee” scammers?
All I hear is we gotta “go green”. Well, we are.
Article is about CO2, not H2O
Article is three years old, BTW.
The Day of the Triffids is coming , RUN
I tried to post from a current article but FR did not allow Natural News
The sad truth is, the "green" party is against green when they try to reduce CO2.
CO2 is life! O2 is pretty good too.
Yes! That ‘climate change’ gal is a bitch!
Since when is Going Green, bad?
This is hugh and series!
Article is about CO2, not H2O
A growth limiting factor limits growth. not enough co2 is limiting growth.
There are also two energy paths to capture the co2. Because co2 is so short, the more expensive energy capture path is used.
There was an article not long ago describing how some desert folk were extracting water from the air using giant net contraptions. Enough to support the little village and their animals. This article is talking about respiration and transpiration as if it’s a new phenomenon. The more likely story is there is dew concentration on the leaves, which the plants can absorb, just like the net contraptions in the little village captures the dew. Fertilized plants need more water than unfertilized plants so enhanced growth is more likely a result of an increase in dew creating a spreading microclimate.
Turns out CO2 is plant food. Who knew? (answer: pretty much most conservatives).
CC
I would be interested in reading about these “net contraptions”. Do you remember where it was printed?
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