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Microbial competition for phosphorus limits the CO2 response of a mature forest

NATURE Published: 05 June 2024 Abstract The capacity for terrestrial ecosystems to sequester additional carbon (C) with rising CO2 concentrations depends on soil nutrient availability1,2. Previous evidence suggested that mature forests growing on phosphorus (P)-deprived soils had limited capacity to sequester extra biomass under elevated CO2 (refs. 3,4,5,6),… Read More »Microbial competition for phosphorus limits the CO2 response of a mature forest

The Conversation: A fierce battle is being fought in the soil beneath our feet – and the implications for global warming are huge

Published: June 6, 2024 6.26am CEST As humanity continues to burn fossil fuels, the delicate balance of life on Earth is changing. That’s true of trees, many of which are growing faster as a result of increased carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in our atmosphere. But… Read More »The Conversation: A fierce battle is being fought in the soil beneath our feet – and the implications for global warming are huge

Tropical rainforests show phosphorus key to understanding world’s ecosystems

A new international study led by Western Sydney University researchers has quantified phosphorus constraints to photosynthesis in tropical forests, highlighting how accounting for this constraint can improve the world’s climate. Tropical forests have an important role in the carbon cycle, absorbing more carbon from the… Read More »Tropical rainforests show phosphorus key to understanding world’s ecosystems

EucFACE presentation on Twitter

Will Goodwin, Bachelor of Natural Science (Environmental Management). Rising high above the tree tops at our Hawkesbury campus, you’ll be able to see Australia’s largest climate change facility. Will shares more about this groundbreaking experiment and how it works! See VIDEO here    

Don’t look to mature forests to soak up carbon dioxide emissions – Nature April 2020

Researchers at Western Sydney University’s EucFACE (Eucalyptus Free Air CO2 Enrichment) (opens in new window) experiment have found new evidence of limitations in the capacity of mature forests to translate rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations into additional plant growth and carbon storage. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is sometimes described as “food for… Read More »Don’t look to mature forests to soak up carbon dioxide emissions – Nature April 2020

Yes, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere helps plants grow, but it’s no excuse to downplay climate change – The Conversation Feb 2020

The following opinion piece, co-authored by Professor Benjamin Smith, Director of Research, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, was first published with full links on The Conversation (opens in new window). The alarming rate of carbon dioxide flowing into our atmosphere is affecting plant life in interesting ways… Read More »Yes, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere helps plants grow, but it’s no excuse to downplay climate change – The Conversation Feb 2020