Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The impact of CO2 fertilisation on foliage in West and East Africa

Demyttenaere, Gaetane LU (2023) In Student thesis series INES NGEM01 20231
Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
Abstract
Anthropogenic impact on terrestrial ecosystems continues to grow as we further enhance
atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) concentrations. The changing climatic conditions and direct
influence of CO₂ on vegetation has a big impact on ecosystem functions. Such impacts include CO₂
fertilisation, found to be an important driver of the global greening trend. By increasing leaf
photosynthesis and enhancing water use efficiency, CO₂ fertilisation stimulates gross primary
productivity and increases carbon storage. Isolating this phenomenon from other drivers of plant
growth is however difficult. In this thesis I show that CO₂ fertilisation has had a positive
influence on semi-arid and arid region in East and West Africa over the period... (More)
Anthropogenic impact on terrestrial ecosystems continues to grow as we further enhance
atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) concentrations. The changing climatic conditions and direct
influence of CO₂ on vegetation has a big impact on ecosystem functions. Such impacts include CO₂
fertilisation, found to be an important driver of the global greening trend. By increasing leaf
photosynthesis and enhancing water use efficiency, CO₂ fertilisation stimulates gross primary
productivity and increases carbon storage. Isolating this phenomenon from other drivers of plant
growth is however difficult. In this thesis I show that CO₂ fertilisation has had a positive
influence on semi-arid and arid region in East and West Africa over the period 1982
- 2015. From Earth observations, it was found that the slopes of the relationship between
precipitation and maximum fractional foliage, assumed to be a proxy for CO₂ fertilisation,
indicated greater production under the same precipitation levels at the end of the study period. It
is discussed that this trend will continue in the future unless the response to CO₂ fertilisation
reduces, or long-term negative influences on nutrient mineralization occurs. East and West Africa
are predicted to become more prone to extensive droughts and higher temperatures under these
enhanced CO₂ concentrations, and thus, improving our understanding of the
implications of these conditions is becoming ever more important. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Demyttenaere, Gaetane LU
supervisor
organization
course
NGEM01 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Physical geography and ecosystem analysis, CO2 fertilisation, semi-arid ecosystems, remote sensing, Normalised Difference Vegetation Index
publication/series
Student thesis series INES
report number
619
language
English
id
9132846
date added to LUP
2023-07-16 10:54:09
date last changed
2023-07-16 10:54:09
@misc{9132846,
  abstract     = {{Anthropogenic impact on terrestrial ecosystems continues to grow as we further enhance
atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) concentrations. The changing climatic conditions and direct 
influence of CO₂ on vegetation has a big impact on ecosystem functions. Such impacts include CO₂ 
fertilisation, found to be an important driver of the global greening trend. By increasing leaf 
photosynthesis and enhancing water use efficiency, CO₂ fertilisation stimulates gross primary 
productivity and increases carbon storage. Isolating this phenomenon from other drivers of plant 
growth is however difficult. In this thesis I show that CO₂ fertilisation has had a positive 
influence on semi-arid and arid region in East and West Africa over the period 1982
- 2015. From Earth observations, it was found that the slopes of the relationship between 
precipitation and maximum fractional foliage, assumed to be a proxy for CO₂ fertilisation, 
indicated greater production under the same precipitation levels at the end of the study period. It 
is discussed that this trend will continue in the future unless the response to CO₂ fertilisation 
reduces, or long-term negative influences on nutrient mineralization occurs. East and West Africa 
are predicted to become more prone to extensive droughts and higher temperatures under these 
enhanced CO₂ concentrations, and thus, improving our understanding of the
implications of these conditions is becoming ever more important.}},
  author       = {{Demyttenaere, Gaetane}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Student thesis series INES}},
  title        = {{The impact of CO2 fertilisation on foliage in West and East Africa}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}