More carbon dioxide, larger plants

2000/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

Researchers have found that higher amounts of carbon dioxide, in addition to increasing the greenhouse effect, accelerate plant growth. A higher level of CO2 can affect the survival of certain plants, insects and animals and can break the balance of the ecosystems we know today. The NASA Institute and Smithsonian will investigate the oak trees next to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to study the effects mentioned. In fact, rapid growth of oaks has been observed in an environment where carbon dioxide is abundant. Leaves, however, have less nutrients. This will allow to see how it affects the living beings of the oak groves and give the researchers the trace of understanding the changes that can occur in the coming years in the different ecosystems.