I want to trigger a discussion about a possible new threat to the
biodiversity on our planet. This threat is described in my article
"Rise or Fall of Flora's Realm: The threat of the real greenhouse
effect" which can be found at the following URL:
http://www.home.zonnet.nl/galien8/biotopia/biotopia.html
It is about the fact that the elevated levels of atmospheric carbon
dioxide to be expected in the near future will cause a disturbance in
the flora, agricultural and last remaining wildlife a like. The
mechanisms of eutrophication and selective parasitic injuries will
cause favoured plant species to overgrow the disfavoured ones, leading
to a decline of wildlife biodiversity. As an exponent of
eutrophication there is also carbon dioxide leaf damage. Certain plant
species will show curling of the leaves, chlorosis, necrosis etc.
Because of this extra mechanism more wildlife biodiversity is in
danger. But the threat does not stop at this point, some of the
affected species involve nutrious crops. So the world food supply is
certainly at danger!
About some aspects of this article I still have some questions. Is the
information of my article new to you (let me know by email or through
the thread of the newsgroup)? Are there more plant species known to
show leaf damage then the ones I mentioned in my article? Has there
any research been going on with falsifies the ethylene hypothesis of
leaf damage?
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