Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are rising globally at a rapid pace, on track to surpass 550 parts per million (ppm) by midcentury. Studies have found that, when grown under elevated CO2 concentrations of 546–586 ppm, many food crops—including wheat, rice, barley, and soybeans—have lowered concentrations of nutrients, including many that are important for overall health, such as iron, zinc, and protein. Elevated CO2 also affects both the quantity and quality of forage, thereby affecting animal performance and production and, consequently, the availability of nutrients from animal-source foods, such as meat, milk, and eggs. This loss of dietary nutrients in foods could translate to increased nutritional deficiency for hundreds of millions of people already on the brink of deficiency—mainly developing countries in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa based on dietary preferences for the commodities most affected. This policy note examines the link between rising CO2 levels and declining nutritional content for a number of major crops, as well as forage. The discussion includes a comparison of the varying effects by crop, and strategies to address this challenge in the context of climate change.

As global climate change proliferates, so too do the health risks associated with the changing world around us. Called for in the President’s Climate Action Plan and put together by experts from eight different Federal agencies, The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health: A Scientific Assessment is a comprehensive report on these evolving health risks, including: Temperature-related death and illness Air quality deterioration Impacts of extreme events on human health Vector-borne diseases Climate impacts on water-related Illness Food safety, nutrition, and distribution Mental health and well-being This report summarizes scientific data in a concise and accessible fashion for the general public, providing executive summaries, key takeaways, and full-color diagrams and charts. Learn what health risks face you and your family as a result of global climate change and start preparing now with The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health.

The carbon dioxide that industrial civilization spews into the atmosphere has dramatic consequences for life on Earth that extend beyond climate change. CO2 levels directly affect plant growth, in turn affecting any kind of life that depends on plants—in other words, everything. Greenhouse Planet reveals the stakes of increased CO2 for plants, people, and ecosystems—from crop yields to seasonal allergies and from wildfires to biodiversity. The veteran plant biologist Lewis H. Ziska describes the importance of plants for food, medicine, and culture and explores the complex ways higher CO2 concentrations alter the systems on which humanity relies. He explains the science of how increased CO2 affects various plant species and addresses the politicization and disinformation surrounding these facts. Ziska confronts the claim that “CO2 is plant food,” a longtime conservative talking point. While not exactly false, it is deeply misleading. CO2 doesn’t just make “good” plants grow; it makes all plants grow. It makes poison ivy more poisonous, kudzu more prolific, cheatgrass more flammable. CO2 stimulates some species more than others: weeds fare particularly well and become harder to control. Many crops grow more abundantly but also become less nutritious. And the further effects of climate change will be formidable. Detailing essential science with wit and panache, Greenhouse Planet is an indispensable book for all readers interested in the ripple effects of increasing CO2.

The question of whether the earth's climate is changing in some significant human-induced way remains a matter of much debate. But the fact that climate is variable over time is well known. These two elements of climatic uncertainty affect water resources planning and management in the American West. Managing Water Resources in the West Under Conditions of Climate Uncertainty examines the scientific basis for predictions of climate change, the implications of climate uncertainty for water resources management, and the management options available for responding to climate variability and potential climate change.

Interactions of CO2 with Water, Temperature, Salinity, UV-B, Ozone, and Nutrients: -- T.C. Hsiao and R.B. Jackson, Interactive Effects of Water Stress and Elevated CO2 on Growth, Photosynthesis, and Water Use Efficiency. -- J.S. Amthor, Increasing Atmospheric CO2 Concentration, Water Use, and Water Stress: Scaling Up from the Plant to the Landscape. -- R.M.M. Crawford and D.W. Wolfe, Temperature: Cellular to Whole Plant and Population Responses. -- S.D. Smith, D.N. Jordan, and E.P. Hamerlynck, Effects of Elevated CO2 and Temperature Stress on Ecosystem Processes. -- R.E. Munns, G.R. Cramer, and M.C. Ball, Interactions Between Rising CO2, Soil Salinity, and Plant Growth. -- J. Rozema, A.H. Teramura, and M.M. Caldwell, Atmospheric CO2 Enrichment and Enhanced Solar Ultraviolet-B Radiation: Gene to Ecosystem Responses. -- A. Polle and E.J. Pell, The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Modifying the Plant Response to Ozone. -- H.H. Rogers, G.B. Runion, S.A. Prior, and H.A. Torbert, Response of Plants ...

The impact of rising levels of greenhouse gases—and the global consequences for crops! Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas that causes global warming and directly impacts every aspect of plant life and indirectly impacts animal and human life. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen dramatically over the past century, and though this could mean opportunities for better growth and increased yield of certain crops, other factors like weather extremes and changes to plant physiology may mitigate the positive effects. Ecological Responses and Adaptations of Crops to Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide comprehensively analyzes every aspect of crop responses to increasing carbon dioxide as well as their productional significance for the world. Changes in the growth rate and yield of crops are explored, with attention given to the consequences of coming weather changes on production and the expected economic impact. Ecological Responses and Adaptations of Crops to Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide takes the data gleaned from careful research to provide an in-depth vision of the impact of carbon dioxide on global temperatures, plant physiology, and the ecological and economic future of our world. Respected authorities thoroughly discuss the research detailing the complete range of issues from plant growth under increased carbon dioxide levels to the impact of rising air temperatures to the evolving ecophysiological responses within various crops. Extensive references provide opportunities for further research while detailed tables and graphs clearly illustrate data. Ecological Responses and Adaptations of Crops to Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide explores the effects of carbon dioxide enrichment on: plants, crops, and vegetation—is it beneficial? growth, yield, and photosynthetic responses in rice the photosynthetic capacity and productivity of rice under field conditions—and the role of nitrogen fertilization forage and grain nitrogen content potato crops crop responses including interaction with temperature the growth of maize different agricultural systems around the world—such as central and southeastern Europe, northern climates, Sudan, citrus-growing regions, and others the production ecophysiology of Hungarian green pepper and much more! The impending changes in our world make Ecological Responses and Adaptations of Crops to Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide a valuable text for educators and postgraduate students in the field of plant ecology and crop production and an essential resource for researchers in the fields of plant ecology, ecophysiology, agricultural crop production, and environmental sciences.

Food, Climate, and Carbon Dioxide presents the most comprehensive and up-to-date discussion on the effects of the rising level of atmospheric carbon dioxide on crop production and plant growth. The emphasis is global. It examines crops of economic value, with special attention to the food crops that stand between people and starvation. The author has brought together his knowledge and 50 years of experience dealing with global food production problems, coupled with and a background of his own premier research on the positive effects of elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide on plant growth and crop productivity. Topics addressed include the climate as a resource in food production and climatic impacts and direct effects from rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide on crops. The book provides global and regional projections of a CO2 -induced climate change and food production. Food security is discussed and future possibilities for research are presented. Suitable as a text and invaluable as a reference, it presents the latest developments drawn from a wide scientific community and uses language and terminology appropriate for a diverse audience.