More efficient plants: A Consequence of Rising Atmospheric CO₂?

The primary effect of the response of plants to rising atmospheric CO₂ (C_a) is to increase resource use efficiency. Elevated C_a reduces stomatal conductance and transpiration and improves water use efficiency, and at the same time it stimulates higher rates of photosynthesis and increases light-use efficiency. Acclimation of photosynthesis during long-term exposure to elevated C_a reduces key enzymes of the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle, and this increases nutrient use efficiency. Improved soil-water balance, increased carbon uptake in the shade, greater carbon to nitrogen ratio, and reduced nutrient quality for insect and animal grazers are all possibilities that have been observed in field studies of the effects of elevated C_a. These effects have major consequences for agriculture and native ecosystems in a world of rising atmospheric C_a and climate change.