José David Centeno Pagán

Can high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere be benefical or harmful for plants

BIOL 3009RISE Program

I n t r o d u c t i o n

The amount of CO2 on the atmosphere has g r e a tl y i n c r e a s e d on the last decades and will continue to due so. This affects the temperature and weather patterns of our planet.

O b j e t i v e s

To determine whether or not the rising levels of C02 and the climate changes it causes endanger or reinforce plant development.

To see if and to what degree do the specimens adapt to the enviromental changes.

P h o t o s y n t h e s i shttp://www.dormgrow.com/led-technology

A r g u m e n t s

Many deny “man made Global Warming“ argumenting that, since plants need CO2 for their growth, then more of it should be better.

However, the "more is better" philosophy is not the way things work. There is a wiser saying, "Too much of a good thing can be a bad.

H y p o t h e s i s

Plants with equally increased CO2 and H2O will adapt. Probably increasing their photosynthetic ability. The other plant groups probably will stay unaffected or won't develop properlly.

M e t h o d o l o g y #1

Timeline - 8 to 10 months.

I will make 4 groups of 15 A. thalihana each.

Plants will be observed and measured every two day.

10 of the offsprings will be planted in the same controlled environment.

M e t h o d o l o g y # 2

G r o u p A - Will be exposed to high levels of CO2 and H2O.

G r o u p B - Will be exposed to high amounts of CO2 and low levels of H20.

Gr o u p C - Will be expose only to high amounts of CO2.

G r o u p D - Will be the control.

A r a b i d o p s i s t h a l i a n a

It has been extensively studied.

It has a fast development.

It produces many seeds.

It's a relatively small plant.

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/micrornas-in-arabidopsis-14200525

C O 2 t a n k s a n d s p r i n k l e r shttp://www.sanantoniolandscapingservices.com/images/sprinkler3.jpg

C o n t r o l l e d E n v i r o n m e n t shttp://www.crida.in/OTC-Facility.jpg

C l e a n r o o m S u i t a n d I n t e g r a t e d F l u o r o m e t e rhttp://www.adc.co.uk/products/ifl-integrated-

fluorometer-gas-exchange-system/http://cleanroom.net/?p=2146

R e f e r e n c e s

Milcu A, Lukac M, Subke J A, Manning P,Heinemeyer A,Wildman D, Anderson R & Ineson P. Nature Climate Change 2, 281-284 (2012) doi:10.1038/nclimate1448

Arabidopsis. (n.d.). U.S National Library of Medicine. Retrieved June 30, 2014, from http://www.nih.gov/science/models/arabidopsis/

Carbon Dioxide at NOAA's Mauna Loa Observatory reaches new milestone: Tops 400 ppm. (2013, May 10). ESRL News. Retrieved June 30, 2014, from http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/news/2013/CO2400.html