Do increased CO2 levels and global warming benefit plants, particularly regarding crop production?

Question

If so, how? If not, why?

Answer 1

Depends. Crop production isn't only dependent on the 2 variables listed.

In the US, crops are pretty "tuned" into a particular climate. Some of those crops can't be easily moved (i.e., orchards).

Global climate change ("warming") may mean that a particular region gets warm and wet while another drys up, and yet another gets more extreme weather, etc.

Unfortunately, the time scales and mechanisms are relatively complex and difficult to cram into a 15 second sound-bite (or even a 18 week college course).

Answer 2

Yes, and there are other benefits as well. For example, the limiting factor in our planet's vegetation is water. Increased CO2 also causes "global warming," meaning, of course, higher temperatures, but also meaning more rain and larger "rain forests."
Before you roll your eyes and think I am an idiot, consider this. To my understanding, (I'm not a biologist) based off of laws of thermodynamics and known behaviors of ecosystems (the power of 10 law), it would be impossible for the dinosaurs to have existed given our current annual rate of carbon fixation. The reason for this is that the huge carnivorous dinosaurs imply a vastly rich ecosystem (they are at the top of the food chain, everything that they eat must eat tremendous amounts of everything beneath it) The way that the existence of dinosaurs is explained is by assuming a higher temperature (of which there is empirical evidence) and thus a higher carbon fixation rate, giving an overall greater base for the ecosystem to thrive off of.
Incidentally, the Earth has been passing through a rather cold spell for many millenia. Also if anyone has any info about the whole dinoaur question, please let me know.
The point of all of this is that potential benefits of global warming are almost never discussed, and while it is clear that we don't know for sure what will happen, there is some indication of it not being so catastrophic as certain politicians would have you believe.

Answer 3

Yes, higher CO2 levels does enhance plant growth and crop yields. Greenhousemen have been using "CO2 enrichment" for decades to improve plant growth. Also most models predict a wetter Earth with more rainfall globally, although some areas may become dryer. Siberia and Canada will be much better able to grow crops. So global warming is not all bad.

Answer 4

In order to actually benifit plants, there would need to be trillions more plants alive and in cultivation to absorb the CO2.
Simply put, there are not enough plants to absorb the CO2 we produce every single year.
I'm seriously astounded at how governments around the world have been so lazy as to not suggest that people should actually start cultivating more plants, whether it be a simple vegtable garden or few house plants. If 2-3 billion people cultivated plants, while cutting back on CO2 emissions, it would probably help the global warming issue a lot!

Answer 5

Plant response to changing CO2 levels varies by type. In general, trees and certain weeds are more sensitive to changing concentrations than are the crops which provide the bulk of the world's food supply.

Higher CO2 levels cause plants to produce fewer breathing holes (stomata) in their leaves, or keep said stomata closed for longer periods of time. This reduces water loss and improves drought resistance, but at the cost of returning less water vapor to the atmosphere by transpiration. Aggravated drought could be a consequence of this.

Answer 6

Yes it does increase plant production. Some plants more than others. Corn is on the low end of increases. One of the plants that showed the highest increases was poison ivy and not only did it grow much faster, the chemical that causes a reaction in people doubled and tripled in strength, depending on the amount of CO2.

Answer 7

They would benefit if the South American rain forests weren't being eradicated. It may be one of the reasons for the higher CO2 levels. Our crop production doesn't need the extra carbon dioxide.

Answer 8

No, in no way. The greenhouse effect is producing very strange weather patterns already, expect extensive droughts in the near future. I know of no crops that grow in absense of water. The converse, hurricane driven rains produce too much rain and floods, none of which are conducive to crop growth. All in all, life as we know it is dissappearing at an alarming rate. World wide famine is a very real probability.

Answer 9

You know there are some recent inventions like fertilizers,hybrids,enriched soil etc that react in a realistically ecological way with the condition you mentioned.

Answer 10

Yes, but the negative effects far outweigh the risks.