A History of Atmospheric CO2 and Its Effects on Plants, Animals, and Ecosystems / Edition 1

by James R. Ehleringer, Thure Cerling, M. Denise Dearing

Overview

Based in extensive research in geology, atmospheric science, and paleontology, this book offers a detailed history of CO2 in the atmosphere, and an understanding of factors that have influenced changes in the past. The text illuminates the role of atmospheric CO2 in the modern carbon cycle and in the evolution of plants and animals, and addresses the future role of atmospheric CO2 and its likely effects on ecosystems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387220697
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	01/27/2005
Series:	Ecological Studies Series , #177
Edition description:	2005
Pages:	530
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.36(d)

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Atmospheric CO2 Record — 1 The Rise of Trees and Their Effect on Paleozoic CO2, Climate and Geology (Robert A. Berner) — 2 Atmospheric CO2 During the Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic: Estimates from Indian Soils (Prosenjit Ghosh, S.K. Bhattacharya, and Parthasarathi Ghosh) — 3 Alkenone-Based Estimates of Past CO2 Levels: A Consideration of Their Utility Based on an Analysis of Uncertainties
(Katherine H. Freeman and Mark Pagani) — 4 Atmospheric CO2 Data over Four Climatic Cycles from Ice Cores (Thomas Blunier, Eric Monnin, and Jean-Marc Barnola) — 5 Atmospheric CO2 and CO2 Exchange with the Terrestial Biosphere and Oceans from 1978 to 2000: Observations and Carbon Cycle Implications (C. David Keeling, Stephen C. Piper, Robert B. Bacastow, Martin Wahlen, Timothy P. Whorf, Martin Heimann, and Harro A. Meijer) — Part II Biotic Responses to Long-Term Changes in Atmospheric CO2 — 6 Evolutionary Responses of Land Plants to Atmospheric CO2
(David J. Beerling) — 7 Cretaceous CO2 Decline and the Radiation and Diversification of Angiosperms — (Jennifer C. McElwain, K.J. Willis, and R. Lupia) — 8 Influence of Uplift, Weathering and Base Cation Supply on Past and Future CO2 Levels (Jacob R. Waldbauer and C. Paige Chamberlain) — 9 Atmospheric CO2, Environmental Stress and the Evolution of C4 Photosynthesis (Rowan F. Sage) — 10 On the Influence of Atmospheric CO2, Temperature, and Water on the Abundance of C3/C4 Taxa (James R. Ehleringer) — 11 Evolution and Growth of Plants in a Low CO2 World (Joy K. Ward) — 12 Environmentally Driven Dietary Adaptations in African Mammals (Thure E. Cerling, John M. Harris, and Meave G. Leakey) — 13 Terrestrial Mammalian Herbivore Response to Declining Levels of Atmospheric CO2 During the Cenezoic: Evidence from North American Fossil Horses (Family Equidae) (Bruce J. MacFadden) — 14 CO2, Grasses, and Human Evolution (Nicholas J. van der Merwe)— Part III Atmospheric CO2 and Modern Ecosystems — 15 The Carbon Cycle over the Last 1,000 Years Inferred from the Inversion of Ice Core Data (Cathy Trudinger, Ian Enting, David Etheridge, Roger Francy, and Peter Rayner) — 16 Remembrance of Weather Past: Ecosystem Responses to Climate Variability (David Schimel, Galina Churkina, Bobby H. Braswell, and James Trenbath) — 17 Effects of Elevated CO2 in Keystone Herbivores in Modern Arctic Ecosystems (Scott R. McWilliams and James O. Leafloor) — Part IV Ecosystem Responses to a Future Atmospheric CO2 — 18 Modern and Future Forest in a Changing Atmosphere (Richard J. Norby, Linda A. Joyce, and Stan D. Wullschleger) — 19 Modern and Future Semi-Arid Ecosystems (M. Rebecca Shaw, Travis E. Huxman, and Christopher P. Lund) — 20 CO2 Effects on Plants at Different (Time Scales, Belinda E. Medlyn and Ross E. McMurtrie) — 21 Herbivory in an Elevated CO2 World (Richard L. Lindroth and M. Denise Dearing) — 22 Borehole Temperatures and Climate Change: A Global Perspective (Robert N. Harris and David S. Chapman)

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews of the first edition:

"A history of atmospheric CO₂ grew out of an interdisciplinary symposium that brought together scientists working on many facets of atmospheric CO₂ across a range of spatial and time scales. … A history of atmospheric CO₂ is well written and very readable. … A history of atmospheric CO₂ is recommended reading for anyone working on any aspect of atmospheric CO₂, and may be particularly helpful for graduate students just beginning research in this area. ... the book is interesting, dense with information … ." (Laurel J. Anderson, Ecology, Vol. 87 (1), 2006)

"Section two, consisting of nine chapters, reports on the effects of biological responses to past changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration. It is the breadth of this section that makes the book an extremely valuable resource for both readers with a peripheral interest in paleoecology and the researcher submersed in this type of work....Finally, the section culminates with an excellent chapter (“CO2, grasses, and human evolution” by N.J. van der Merwe) detailing the effects of atmospheric CO2 on the relationship between the abundance of plants that use the C3 photosynthetic pathway versus those that utilize the C4 photosynthetic pathway and the effects of these differences in hominid evolution....Chapter 18 (“Modern and future forests in a changing atmosphere” by R.J. Norby et al.) does an excellent job of synthesizing the large amount of work recently performed on the responses of forest ecosystems to elevated CO2. Chapter 20 (“Effects of CO2 on plants at different timescales” by B.E. Medlyn and R.E. McMurtrie) provides a fresh perspective on the conclusions drawn from elevated CO2 studies considered across different timescales....Overall, Ehleringer and colleagues have provided an excellent addition to the Springer “Ecological Studies” series. The organization of the volume is extremely well done, allowing the reader to transition naturally from one chapter to the next. Each chapter is exceptionally well written by authors respected in their various fields of study. I highly recommend the book to both students and professionals alike." (Clint Springer, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas)

From the Publisher