Related Posts
Study: CO2 Emissions Raising Ocean Acidity Levels at Faster RateMany people love going to the beach. I’m actually heading there tomorrow. There are so many things you...
California at risk from tropical disease and rising sea levels
Over the next century, what kind of impact will climate change have on California’s coastlines?
Though coastal properties are...
Rising Sea Levels Swallow Tiny Island, Settle 30-Year Dispute
A small, Asian island has been completely swallowed by the sea—and it’s not part of the Maldives.
New Moore...
Study: Worst CO2 emissions are yet to come
Future fossil fuel infrastructure set to be built between now and 2060 will have the strongest effect on...
Study: Methane is Rapidly Leaking Through Holes in Arctic PermafrostFor the longest time, CO2 was considered the main culprit in global warming. Many would pin climate change...
Get your Eco Starter Kit
Create an account and start harvesting Carbon Credits! Exchange your Carbon Credits for green goodies, like the Eco-Hatchery Starter Kit!
-
Green network users
3,148 Users - Show All
Green Directory
Tip of the Day
Keep eggs out of the fridge to save energy when cooking them
Study: Rising CO2 Levels may Decrease Crop Protein and Nutritional Value
Image Source: Flickr. By: KevinLallier.
You’ve probably heard all the reports about how Climate Change will damage our crops and livelihoods via drought, flooding (from rising sea levels), and so forth. However, I’ll bet you haven’t heard about the latest threat climate change poses to crops: decreased nutritional value.
A study, published in Science magazine, shows that increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere could reduce crop protein by 20%. Scientists tested the 2 main types of soil nitrogen available to plants (nitrate and ammonium) and the affect they had on 2 major types of plants (monocotyledons and dicotyledons) that were exposed to an atmosphere with high levels of CO2. The study showed that plants exposed to nitrate had difficulty producing nitrogen-containing compounds (protein, for example) but the ammonium-exposed plants did not.
Study author, Arnold Bloom, explained that the problem is “most crop plants…use nitrate as their main form of nitrogen”. He added that:
“Wheat grain that has been exposed to the conditions that we expect in the next few decades declines about 20%.”
Although plants may eventually adjust to the rising levels of CO2, this study suggests that the reason why the plants might not do as well in CO2-rich environments as expected can be linked to the nitrate (or lack thereof). Wheat physiologist, Marta Lopes, stated:
“This study is alerting us about the need to develop new fertilization techniques and to improve crops’ nitrogen use efficiencies.”
You can read the full study here.
By Heidi Marshall
Tags: ammonium, carbon dioxide, climate change, co2, crops, global warming, nitrate, nutritional value, protein, science, soil nitrogen, study
Other Greenfudge.org posts
2-meter-long lizards discovered in Philippines
Previously unknown to the scientific community, a 'new' species of monitor lizard has been documented in the Royal Society Biology Letters. Dubbed the Varanus bitatawa, the giant lizard lives in the Sierra Madre forests of Luzon Island in the Northern Philippines, where it is well known to local tribes who hunt it for its meat. It is not often these days for biologists to find new species of large animals, or mega-fauna. But could the deforestation of Luzon, a once heavily...
UK govt rejects calls for ban on deep sea drilling
Despite low public opinion on deep sea drilling and an overall global shift away from the practice, including the Obama administration’s moratorium in the US, the UK government – the ‘greenest government eva’ – has decided to go against the grain and allow exploratory drilling in the North Sea. A spokeswoman for the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change was quoted in an article in the Independent: We will not consent to the drilling of any well unless we are convinced...
COP15: More on Copenhagen – for all brain sizes
Would you rather have the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change explained to you buy a source called the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists or one simply called ‘Crikey’? How about ‘The Crikey clarifier (dumb questions for smart people)’? Sound like more your speed? I thought so. Never fear, you can read both. And to be fair, Australia's Crikey gives a clear, basic overview of COP15, focusing on the when, where, why and who of the convention, with a realistic –...
Check Out San Francisco’s Urban Forest Map Project!
Amber Bieg is on a mission: to account for every single tree in San Francisco. It all started 5 years ago when Bieg was planting trees in the North Beach area of San Francisco. She realized that “it was really inefficient for one individual, or even a group, to go out with GPS units and survey trees”. So, she started on a plan to get the whole community involved. Bieg partnered up with ecologist, Kelaine Vargas, and the Urban Forest Map...
Superbug factories: Industrial meat and dairy farms could be the death of us all
No matter if you eat a 5 pounds of meat per day or are a strict vegan, intensive livestock farming is putting your life at risk. This is due to the routine and preemptive use of large amounts of antibiotics on factory farms, which contributes to the evolution resistant strains of bacteria like MSRA. In the US, MSRA is believed to be killing more people than AIDS. For years the medical profession has come under criticism for overprescribing antibiotics or doling...
Why commercial solar could save UK businesses
Solar power has been around for decades, but is still rarely seen in commercial settings in the UK. The tide may be about to turn as the economic climate continues to look challenging for most businesses, requiring considerable cost saving measures and alternative revenue streams to keep many companies viable. Commercial solar could be the answer for many small to large business owners to curtail expenditure and even turn additional profit from producing electricity. The Advantages of Commercial Solar For UK...
20 tons of dead herring on beach in Norway
A beach in Nordreisa, Norway is now completely blanketed in dead herring. It is unknown what caused the herring to die; whether it was tides, predatory fish or something else. Scientists would like to test the dead fish to discover the cause of death. From the Guardian: For doom-mongers, the fish were the second a sign in as many days that 2012 would live up to the apocalyptic prediction of the ancient Mayans, after hundreds of blackbirds reportedly dropped dead in Arkansas. To see a...
Add REFUSE to the 3 R’s
Reduce, reuse, recycle has always been the mantra of most environmental advocates. With the massive plastic pollution crisis we are facing, gradual reduction in single-use disposable plastics will fail to have any kind of impact unless it is implemented along with container laws and other provisions. An eye-opening film series called “Is Plastic Washed Up?” sponsored by the Plastic Pollution Coalition focuses on post-consumer plastic products as the most common pollutants of our oceans. Plastic marine debris poses long term hazards...
Greek dolphin park sparks controversy
Dolphins are a common sight in the calm, warm waters of the Greek Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. There they can be observed living free in their natural habitat. And so it may seem strange that a dolphinarium – an aquatic animal park featuring dolphins – exists in Greece. Animal welfare activists believe so and are protesting a dolphin park at the Attica Zoo in Athens, which they believe to be cruel. The dolphinarium’s operators disagree, claiming the park has educational as...
Eco-friendly Walls for Construction Zones
Constructions sites in urban areas are seen as unpleasant, dusty and hazard-prone areas. Designers Kooho Jung & Hayeon Kelly Choi have come up with The Symbiotic Green Wall to help transform these eyesores around constructions zones to a living wall. The Symbiotic Green Wall is designed to collect rain and waste water which is then stored, filtered and distributed around the site to hydrate the plant pods on the exterior wall and the sprinkler system on the interior wall to help...
View all articles
You can also log in to post a comment.