Revolutionary new Australian project studies runaway climate change
Australian Project Simulates Runaway Climate Change Climate Central : May 19th, 2012 By Oliver Milman, The Guardian An Australian university has embarked upon an ambitious project — hailed as the first of its kind in the world — to simulate how the environment would cope with runaway climate change.
The decade-long study, at the University of Western Sydney’s Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment , will subject Australian bushland to heightened CO2 levels and altered rainfall patterns consistent with a “business as usual” global increase in greenhouse gases. The centerpiece of the study is the Eucalyptus Free Air CO2 Enrichment experiment, which has involved the construction of six fiber glass and steel ring structures 92 feet high and 82 feet in diameter in native woodland in Richmond, New South Wales. The structures contain an array of sensors that will deliver a concentration of CO2 to the trees within the rings.
This, scientists say, will recreate an atmosphere where CO2 is at 550 ppm — about 40% higher than current levels — to see how the environment would change for living things, including humans.
This level of CO2 has been chosen to mimic how the environment would react in a world where no significant action is taken to reduce carbon emissions over the next 35 years.
It has been predicted that a 40% increase in CO2 would result in an average global temperature increase of about three degrees centigrade.
An automated computer-controlled system will modulate the amount of CO2 pumped from the rings, to account for environmental variability.
Scientists will use a giant 141 foot high crane to study the impact on all parts of the towering eucalypt trees, such as soil bacteria and fungi, the growth patterns of the tree canopy and the insects that dwell in the foliage……
“It will give us a window into how biodiversity will behave in futuristic conditions.”
The first results from the study, which is due to launch in September, will be published next year.
However, the institute has already conducted preliminary research — the findings can be read here and here — on a small collection of trees over the past 18 months, to test their responses to heightened CO2 and warmer temperatures.
“The outcome was that the trees had a limited ability to adjust,” said Ellsworth. “They didn’t cope well with a warm Sydney summer. Photosynthesis decreased. They stopped growing, basically.
“Heightened CO2 levels have been shown to initially aid plant growth, but previous studies have shown this can last as little as a few months.
“To put it crudely, plants want a balanced diet. CO2 is part of that diet, but they also need nutrients that aren’t depleted.”
The institute insists its work isn’t only of interest to Australia, where modelling has predicted a temperature rise of as much as 5°C , coupled with more frequent droughts, by 2070 if no action on emissions is taken…..
“We are also looking at the impact of drought and because we will potentially see big water reductions in the future, the results here will be very important for the rest of the world.”…… http://www.climatecentral.org/news/australian-project-simulates-effects-of-runaway-climate-change//
1 Comment »
Leave a Reply
1.This month.
The Road to War brings a sharp focus to why it is not in Australia’s best interest to be dragged into a war with China which will almost inevitably go nuclear very quickly. The filmmaker has interviewed some of Australia’s senior foreign policy analysts who have vast experience behind them in analysing what really is going on here as the United States rattles its sabres with China. And sets us up to be its proxy, like the poor Ukranians have been fed into the Meatgrinder. So America can remain the Top Dog. The Road to War reveals how the United States through its spy base at Pine Gap and by stationing six nuclear capable B52 bombers in the Top End (without permission from the traditional owners) is making Australia a prime nuclear target if the current war of words suddenly melts down into full scale war.
The Road to War shows the implicit connection between Carbon emissions (the US military uses a whopping 70% of America’s annual petroleum to move its armies and vast War Machine around the globe to its 800+ military bases..but under a loophole wangled at Kyoto, the US military does not have to report its C02 annual emissions). The Road to War starts screening at selected cities and regional centres in March. See the trailer end for details.
Antinuclear 
This post is very much informative and at the same time has the same goals as ours. At Ecosol Global we offer R.E.D Teslagram to help people lessen harmful emissions. Thanks.
Lessen Harmful Emissions
LikeLike