Is It Getting Warmer?

Australian Broadcasting Corporation - July 26, 2007

This article details a study that was published in Nature. The study points out that plants absorb less CO2 if they are in the presence of ozone. Since ozone is a major pollutant in some parts of the world, this gas will reduce the ability to balance the CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

Once again, we are reminded that we do not totally understand the many influences on our environment and this calls into question any future predictions as well as challenges any suggestions on the solution to a climatic change.

We really need to make science a bigger priority in our world wide budgets. More funding and more effort is required to guide us.

My biggest concern regarding this study is that it appears to be based on a computer model which may be incorrect in how it actually mimics the actual reaction. Also, there does not seem to be a lot of discussion of the symptoms that different plants may exhibit to the same stimuli.

…ozone at ground level is damaging the ability of plants to absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and so limiting their ability to act as carbon sinks.

As a result, more CO2 will build in the atmosphere instead of being taken up by the land, which in turn will stoke global warming and thus worsen climate change…

---

High levels of CO2 and ozone cause stomata to close, which means the plant takes in less of the CO2 that it needs to grow, but also less of the ozone that damages it.

---

UK researchers built a computer model to simulate the response of carbon sinks around the world in response to ozone levels, from 1901 to 2100.

It it an interesting article and I think it is worth your time to click through and read it here.

Did you know that you can have these articles emailed to you? Click on the Subscribe to email link in the upper right corner, fill out the details, and you are set. No one will see your email address and you won’t get more spam by doing this.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Filed under: Greenhouse gas, Weather science

Similar articles that you may enjoy:

• Antarctic ice threatened by ozone-hole recovery
• Rapid rise in global warming is forecast
• Climate Changes Are Making Poison Ivy More Potent
• Global Warming May Reduce Carbon Sink Capacity In Northern Forests
• Joint science academies’ statement: Global response to climate change
• Rising temperatures "will stunt rainforest growth"
• The Scientific and Social Challenges of Global Warming
• The Real ‘Inconvenient Truth’
• Global Warming 101 Human Fingerprints
• Is Your Global Warming?
• Myths / Facts COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING
• Recognizing Forests’ Role in Climate Change
• RESEARCH FINDS THAT EARTH’S CLIMATE IS APPROACHING ‘DANGEROUS’ POINT
• North America Absorbing Carbon Dioxide At Surprisingly High Rate, Team Reports
• Appalachian Mountains, Carbon Dioxide Caused Long-ago Global Cooling