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Influence of Elevated CO2 Concentrations on Oak Isoprene Emissions
Reference
Buckley, P.T.  2001.  Isoprene emissions from a Florida scrub oak species grown in ambient and elevated carbon dioxide.  Atmospheric Environment 35: 631-634.

What was done
The authors grew Chapman oak (Quercus chapmanii) for two years in open-top chambers receiving atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 350 and 700 ppm to study the effects of elevated CO2 on foliar isoprene emissions from this species.  The significance of this work resides in the fact that isoprene is a hydrocarbon that plays an important role in various atmospheric processes, including ozone and organic acid formation.

What was learned
Elevated CO2 had little to no effect on isoprene emissions from this particular woody species.

What it means
As the air's CO2 content increases, it would appear that isoprene emissions from Chapman oak trees will remain largely unaffected.  Thus, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations should not increase the atmospheric loading of this hydrocarbon and, therefore, should not affect tropospheric ozone concentrations, as a consequence of the biological activities of this particular species.


Reviewed 19 June 2002