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Tags: CO2, Research, Satellite Imagery
Publication: Ibtimes.com
Publication Date: 07/10/2013
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Satellite data shows the percent amount that foliage cover has changed around the world from 1982 to 2010.
Image credit: CSRIO
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According to a new study conducted by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and Australian National University, carbon dioxide has boosted green foliage in the world’s driest regions through a process called “CO2 fertilization.”
Using mathematical modeling and satellites that detect leaf coverage, the study found that in arid regions of Australia, North America, the Middle East and Africa, CO2 fertilization increased foliage by 11 percent over nearly three decades.
Researchers used a computer model of a given area to predict carbon dioxide’s “fertilization effect” as increasing plant foliage by 5 to 10 percent over a 30-year period. With satellite imagery, the team compared the model to real-world changes that occurred between 1982 and 2010 and found that their predictions supported their theory that the gas helped plant growth.
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