Articles | Volume 16, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1509-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1509-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Aug 2020
Research article |
| 20 Aug 2020
| 20 Aug 2020
Elevated CO2, increased leaf-level productivity, and water-use efficiency during the early Miocene
Tammo Reichgelt
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
Department of Geosciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs,
Connecticut, USA
William J. D'Andrea
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
Ailín del C. Valdivia-McCarthy
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
Bethany R. S. Fox
Department of Biological and Geographical Sciences, University of
Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
Jennifer M. Bannister
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
John G. Conran
ACEBB & SGC, School of Biological Sciences, The University of
Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
William G. Lee
Landcare Research, Dunedin, New Zealand
School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Daphne E. Lee
Department of Geology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Short summary
Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are increasing in the atmosphere. CO2 has a direct fertilization effect on plants, meaning that plants can photosynthesize more and create more biomass under higher atmospheric CO2. This paper outlines the first direct evidence of a carbon fertilization effect on plants in Earth's past from 23 × 106 yr old fossil leaves, when CO2 was higher. This allowed the biosphere to extend into areas that are currently too dry or too cold for forests.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are increasing in the atmosphere. CO2 has a direct fertilization...
