Carbon dioxide (CO2) is usually used by plants for photosynthesis, which supplies them with their sugars. Plants cannot survive on this alone, however, and usually need nutrients such as iron, phosphorus and nitrogen, which they absorb from the soil using their roots. While carbon dioxide is important, scientists conducting a review of current and past research on how different levels of CO2 affect plants have determined that increasing levels of carbon dioxide make it harder for plants to obtain the nutrients they require for growth from the soil.
Antoine Martin, a biologist at the National Center for Scientific Research in France, explained that the nutrient composition of widely used crops such as wheat and rice was negatively affected by increased carbon dioxide levels, noting that this would have a strong impact on food security globally as well as food quality. A biologist at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment in France, Alain Gojon, added that some reports had also shown that the carbon dioxide levels expected at the end of this century would cause nitrogen concentration to be lower in most plants, which would, in turn, affect the protein content in plant products.
Scientists had first observed this under experimental conditions more than two decades ago. Now, the phenomenon has also been established in the natural environment.
Long-term research on forests also demonstrated reductions in minerals found in foliage. This is backed by archived samples from the 20th century, which show that in comparison to today’s plants, plants from decades ago had higher nutrient content. Additionally, scientists have determined that plants which grow in locations that have naturally higher atmospheric carbon dioxide, such as volcanoes, have lower levels of nitrogen levels.
Gojon also argued that the two nutrients important for human nutrition — iron and nitrogen — would be affected by this. He explained that plants grown at increased carbon dioxide levels could have 20% to 30% less protein, which could be a serious issue, especially since most diets in developing countries weren’t rich in proteins. Gojon added that iron deficiency, which currently affects about two billion individuals globally, would become an even bigger issue.
Scientists are requesting that more research into the matter be conducted, noting that finding ways to inhibit an increase in carbon dioxide levels would not only be good for plants but also help us advance in the fight against climate change.
The review’s findings were reported in “Trends in Plant Science.”
The adverse effects of too much CO2 on plant nutrition are likely to give fertilizer makers such as Compass Minerals International Inc. (NYSE: CMP) plenty to think about as they try to optimize their formulations so that plants can still benefit from supplemental nutrients.
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