Global and Horticultural Carbon Dioxide Enrichment

This chapter presents an overview of climatological and plant processes and discusses the implications of the changes in atmospheric CO₂ concentration for photosynthesis and plant productivity. Green plants exchange CO₂ and O₂ with the global atmosphere in the photosynthesis process. The leaves of autotrophic terrestrial plants incorporate carbon from atmospheric CO₂ and fix energy from solar radiation. The growth and development of higher plants are influenced by atmospheric CO₂ content. Elevated CO₂ concentrations tend to cause increased root-to-top ratio is higher plants. A common method of CO₂ supply is to release compressed CO₂ at a constant rate or to use a CO₂ generator burning fossil fuel such as propane, butane, or kerosine at a fixed rate. Plants’ carbon uptake and incorporation of the dead plants in sediments has caused a depletion of atmospheric CO₂ which has contributed to the maintenance of a suitable temperature regime for all biota.