Plant Responses to Rising CO2

Terrestrial plants have a massive capacity to capture carbon, and the potential for increased plant growth under future elevated CO₂ may have a critical mitigating influence on human CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere. However, the extent of a future “CO₂ Fertilization Effect” and what will regulate this effect are not well understood.

Our research aims to understand how temperate and tropical forests will change in a higher CO₂ world. This work involves monitoring aboveground tree growth as well as the belowground communities that help trees obtain the resources needed to fuel extra growth under elevated CO₂.