European Forests and Global Change The Likely Impacts of Rising CO2 and Temperature

This book was first published in 1998. Studies of global climate change predict that increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature are expected to occur over the next century. To help gain an insight into the potential effect of these changes on forests, this book describes how major European tree species respond to experimentally manipulated environmental conditions. The effects on photosynthesis, respiration and development are described and the results used to generate models of the likely response of European forests to the predicted changes in climate. The volume encompasses studies carried out under the ECOCRAFT (European Collaboration on CO2 Responses Applied to Forests and Trees) programme, focusing on the major tree species found in eight European countries. As such it provides an authoritative report of the current status of European research into this important area of global environmental biology.

Preface; 1. How can we study CO2 impacts on trees and forests? J.-Y. Pontailler, C. Barton, D. Durrant and M. Forstreuter; 2. Biochemistry, physiology and biophysics of photosynthesis B. Besford, M. Mousseau and G. Scarascia-Mugnozza; 3. Is dark respiration rate changed? M. Mousseau; 4. Will tree foliage be larger and live longer? M. Murray and R. Ceulemans; 5. Biomass, growth and carbon allocation H. Lee, D. Overdieck and P. Jarvis; 6. Is water used more efficiently? G. Scarascia-Mugnozza and P. de Angelis; 7. Do elevated CO2 concentrations and nutrients interact? S. Linder and M. Murray; 8. Do the effects of temperature and CO2 interact? D. Overdieck, S. Kellomäki and K. Wang; 9. What can we learn from microcosms? M. Forstreuter; 10. Modelling leaf, tree and forest responses to increasing atmospheric CO2 and temperature A. Friend, S. Kellomäki and B. Kruijt; 11. Perspectives for future research B. Saugier; Annex I: refereed papers; Annex II: abstracts, notes, reports and thesis; Index.

Studies of global climate change predict that increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature are expected to occur over the next century. To help gain an insight into the potential effect of these changes on forests this book describes how major European tree species respond to experimentally manipulated environmental conditions. The effects on photosynthesis, respiration and development are described and the results used to generate models of the likely response of European forests to the predicted changes in climate.