Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Sites of naturally elevated carbon dioxide
- Migration in the ground of CO2 and other volatile contaminants. Theory and survey
- Levels of CO2 leakage in relation to geology
- CO2 emission in volcanic areas: case histories and hazards
- Controlled degassing of lakes with high CO2 content in Cameroon: an opportunity for ecosystem CO2-enrichment experiments
- Burning coal seams in southern Utah: a natural system for studies of plant responses to elevated CO2
- Long-term effects of enhanced CO2 concentrations on leaf gas exchange: research opportunities using CO2 springs
- Using Icelandic CO2 springs to understand the long-term effects of elevated atmospheric CO2
- Plant CO2 responses in the long term: plants from CO2 springs in Florida and tombs in Egypt
- Acidophilic grass communities of CO2 springs in central Italy: composition, structure and ecology
- Studying morpho-physiological responses of Scirpus lacustris from naturally CO2-enriched environments
- Carbon physiology of Quercus pubescens Wild, growing at the Bossoleto CO2 spring in central Italy
- Preliminary results on dissolved inorganic 13C and 14C content of a CO2-rich mineral spring of Catalonia (NE Spain) and of plants growing in its surroundings
- The impact of elevated CO2 on the growth of Agrostis canina and Plantago major adapted to contrasting CO2 concentrations
- Stomatal numbers in holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) leaves grown in naturally and artificially CO2-enriched environments
- Effects of CO2 on NH4+ assimilation by Cyanidium caldarium, an acidophilic hot springs and hot soils unicellular alga
- Can rising CO2 alleviate oxidative risk for the plant cell? Testing the hypothesis under natural CO2 enrichment
- Increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 and decomposition processes in forest ecosystems
- Index
Burning coal seams in southern Utah: a natural system for studies of plant responses to elevated CO2
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Sites of naturally elevated carbon dioxide
- Migration in the ground of CO2 and other volatile contaminants. Theory and survey
- Levels of CO2 leakage in relation to geology
- CO2 emission in volcanic areas: case histories and hazards
- Controlled degassing of lakes with high CO2 content in Cameroon: an opportunity for ecosystem CO2-enrichment experiments
- Burning coal seams in southern Utah: a natural system for studies of plant responses to elevated CO2
- Long-term effects of enhanced CO2 concentrations on leaf gas exchange: research opportunities using CO2 springs
- Using Icelandic CO2 springs to understand the long-term effects of elevated atmospheric CO2
- Plant CO2 responses in the long term: plants from CO2 springs in Florida and tombs in Egypt
- Acidophilic grass communities of CO2 springs in central Italy: composition, structure and ecology
- Studying morpho-physiological responses of Scirpus lacustris from naturally CO2-enriched environments
- Carbon physiology of Quercus pubescens Wild, growing at the Bossoleto CO2 spring in central Italy
- Preliminary results on dissolved inorganic 13C and 14C content of a CO2-rich mineral spring of Catalonia (NE Spain) and of plants growing in its surroundings
- The impact of elevated CO2 on the growth of Agrostis canina and Plantago major adapted to contrasting CO2 concentrations
- Stomatal numbers in holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) leaves grown in naturally and artificially CO2-enriched environments
- Effects of CO2 on NH4+ assimilation by Cyanidium caldarium, an acidophilic hot springs and hot soils unicellular alga
- Can rising CO2 alleviate oxidative risk for the plant cell? Testing the hypothesis under natural CO2 enrichment
- Increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 and decomposition processes in forest ecosystems
- Index
Summary
SUMMARY
In the Burning Hills and Smoky Mountains of southern Utah (USA), coal deposits exposed to the surface have been ignited by lightning and have been burning for periods of years to over a century. We examined one of these sites, where the below-ground combustion of this low-sulfur coal releases gases to the atmosphere from vents above the burning seam. The surrounding vegetation is cold-desert shrub, typical of the region and consisted of both C3 and C4 perennial species.
Additionally, at least one weedy C4 species had invaded disturbed locations immediately adjacent to the active vent area. Atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the vicinity of the vents fluctuated significantly, however, CO2 concentrations measured approximately 500 m from the most active vents were 7 ppm elevated above ambient concentrations measured at a control site 10 km from the burning vents. CO2 concentrations at sites nearer the vents, but still with natural, undisturbed vegetation, were elevated 65 ppm above ambient background values. At vegetated sites nearest the vents, CO2 concentrations were elevated by an average of 542 ppm above ambient values.
The continuous distribution of C4 vegetation along the CO2 concentration gradient provides a means of estimating the long-term integrated CO2 concentrations at each location. Using the carbon isotope ratio of the C4 vegetation (Atriplex confertifolia and Salsola iberica) to estimate the atmospheric CO2 concentration, we observed that the ratio of intercellular to atmospheric CO2 concentrations of C3 vegetation decreased in response to elevated CO2 concentrations. This decreased ratio for Gutierrezia sarothrae (C3) was sufficient to result in a predicted doubling of water-use efficiency.
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- Plant Responses to Elevated CO2Evidence from Natural Springs, pp. 56 - 68Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997