Impact of raised concentrations of CO2 on the physiology and the initial growth of four Brazilian forest species, in a future climatic simulation

• Grant number: 05/54804-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2005
• End date: March 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Alberto Martinez y Huaman
• Grantee: Carlos Alberto Martinez y Huaman
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Global climate changes, caused by the increase in the atmospheric concentration of gases, in particular CO2, is a current topic and of great relevance to the whole world. Despite the recent coming into effect of the Kyoto Protocol, which establishes goals for the reduction of greenhouse effect gases, the previsions indicate that the increase in the concentration of CO2 will continue for a long time, given that alternatives for the immediate replacement of fossils fuels, are not currently viable. On the other hand, the coming into effect of this protocol opens new opportunities for investment in tropical countries, by means of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which focus on the sequestration of carbon by forests. Given that plants absorb CO2 through photosynthesis, this process constitutes an important, environmentally clean mechanism, to reduce the additional greenhouse effect. Therefore, there is great potential for forests to exercise a significant impact on the global balance of carbon, by acting as sinks for CO2. However, the predictions are difficult because the effects of raised levels of CO2 on tropical tree species are still not well understood and modeled.This proposal has as its object the determination of the effects of three concentrations of CO2 (370, 540 and 720 µmol mol-1) on the gas exchanges, chlorophyll fluorescence and the initial growth of four young tree species in a mesophilic semideciduous seasonal forest in Brazil, namely two pioneer species – Cecropia pachystachya (embaúba) and Croton urucurana (sangra d’água) and two non-pioneer species Esenbeckia leiocarpa (guarantã) and Cariniana legalis (jequitibá-rosa)–, grown in open-top chambers and cultivated in forest soil with and without nutritional correction. The information generated by this research will contribute to the characterization of the potential capacity of these Brazilian forest species as carbon sequesters for the purposes of reforestation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DIAS DE OLIVEIRA, EDUARDO AUGUSTO; APPROBATO, ANDRESSA UEHARA; LEGRACIE, JR., JOSE RENATO; MARTINEZ, CARLOS ALBERTO. Soil-nutrient availability modifies the response of young pioneer and late successional trees to elevated carbon dioxide in a Brazilian tropical environment. ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, v. 77, p. 53-62, APR 2012. (05/54804-7)