In elevated carbon dioxide, soybeans stumble but invasive cheatgrass keeps on truckin'
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 12:32
in Earth & Climate
Scientists once thought the fertilization effect of rising carbon dioxide concentrations would offset factors such as higher temperatures or drier soils that would reduce crops yields. This view is turning out to be overly optimistic. A new study shows that soybeans switch into unproductive metabolic activity at higher carbon dioxide concentrations. The invasive cheatgrass, on the other hand, has no switch, or control, and continues to efficiently transport water and assimilate carbon.