Volcanic CO2 Vents in Tropical Forests

Traditional large-scale CO₂ Enrichment experiments have proven logistically impossible in the tropical rainforests that we expect to have a disproportionate effect on the global response to rising CO₂. To overcome this challenge, we are working with collaborators at NASA and McGill University to study tropical forests surrounding natural CO₂ vents on the flanks of volcanoes in Costa Rica. These vents serve as natural CO₂ enrichment experiments that have been operating for hundreds of years. By assessing biomass, growth rates, and nutrient dynamics in these forests, we can gain an entirely new perspective on the future of tropical forests under increasing atmospheric CO₂.