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Mon 1 Apr, 2013 01:27 pm
If co2 in the atmosphere were to increase to 1000 ppm, up from the
acknowledged "safe level" of 350 ppm, would the increase enable food
crops to produce larger yields? Or, would it merely enhance global
warming, thereby countering any crop yield gains that are provided
by the increase of atmospheric co2 from 350 ppm?
@rswroe,
Sadly, we may be finding far too soon.
@rswroe,
Research seems to indicate that if the only change is CO2 then there will be an increase in crop yields. The problem is we don't know what other changes in climate will occur.
Too much rain will wash out many food crops.
Too little rain will eliminate any increase in yield from CO2 increase.
Then there are other issues.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/11/1122_021125_CropYields.html
Quote:But the effect may be a double-edged sword; the increase in yield appears to be linked to a decrease in the nutritional value of these crops.
@Ragman,
Re the history of CO2 levels: the (scientifically provable) fact remains that:
"The present level is higher than at any time during the last 800 thousand years, and likely higher than in the past 20 million years."
Furthermore:
"This addition, about 3% of annual natural emissions as of 1997, is sufficient to exceed the balancing effect of sinks. As a result, carbon dioxide has gradually accumulated in the atmosphere, and as of 2009, its concentration is 39% above pre-industrial levels."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_in_Earth's_atmosphere
@Ragman,
Here's yet another good info resource for projection of the effects of increases of CO2 on crop yields:
http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/early/2012/10/10/pp.112.208298.full.pdf
@rswroe,
Nowhere online that I could find anything indicative of any data that discusses effects of increases of CO2 to levels of 1000 ppm.