CRC for Greenhouse Accounting

Research Programs

Project B1 Interaction of elevated CO2 and water, temperature, nutrient & soil stresses on carbon sequestration

Project Leader: Dr John Evans (Email)

Team Members:
	Prof Graham Farquhar	Dr Jade Sharples
	Dr Marilyn Ball	Dr Everard Edwards
	Dr Josette Masle	Mr Jack Egerton
	Dr Chin Wong	Mr Wayne Pippen
	Dr David Barker	Ms Sally Box
	Dr Marcus Schortemeyer	Ms Janet Lake
	Mr Lucas Cernusak	Ms Julie Styles
	Ms Stephanie McCaffery

Objectives
Relevance
Outputs
Outcomes

Research objectives

To develop theoretical understanding of how Nitrogen (N) is distributed optimally in plant canopies and how the scattering of light by the canopy affects this distribution. Apply these techniques to predict daily/weekly canopy photosynthesis driven by remote sensing measurements.
To understand the interaction between elevated CO₂ and temperature stress on the interaction between resource acquisition, seedling establishment and growth.
To understand mechanisms controlling plant responses to elevated CO₂ when nutrients are limiting.
To understand the inter-relationship between elevated CO₂ and the hydraulic & mechanical components of soil drying on photosynthesis, growth and water use.

Relevance

The productivity of ecosystems depends upon the availability of water and nutrients, as well as the temperature regime. This project aims to to provide experimentally-based descriptions of some of the key factors affecting ecosystem productivity.

While some of the results may be of immediate relevance, much of this work is focused on improving understanding of plant responses to elevated atmospheric CO₂ that will inevitably occur over the next decades. These processes are important, because the carbon cycle will take many decades to respond to current changes in atmospheric CO₂, and without better understanding of the processes, our ability to predict outcomes will be of limited value.

Outputs

An Australian input to the basic science underlying the response of vegetation (particularly Australian vegetation) to changing atmospheric and climate conditions.
Early warning of potential "surprises" in responses that may affect the effectiveness of management actions (such as tree replanting) under future atmospheric and climatic positions.
An assessment of the risks of using past and current growth responses to extrapolate to future responses.

Outcomes

Maintaining a leading position for Australian greenhouse science in international forums.

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