Q. Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilization”?

• Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Increased temperature of Earth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Increased acidity of oceans as a result of increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Adaptation of all living beings on Earth to the climate change brought about by the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Answer: (a) Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Notes:

• Carbon Fertilization:
  • It is the artificial enrichment of the atmosphere of greenhouses with carbon dioxide.
  • It is the phenomenon that the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the rate of photosynthesis in plants.
  • Impact of carbon fertilization:
    • Increase in the photosynthetic rate
    • Increases the water use efficiency
    • Plants distribute a greater proportion of photosynthate to roots under a high concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. 
    • The reproductive biomass growth, as well as vegetative biomass growth, is usually increased by elevated carbon dioxide.