Summary
This 2024 review examines the multifaceted impacts of elevated atmospheric CO₂ on crop physiology, nutrient density, and food security outcomes. The authors synthesise evidence on how rising CO₂ affects plant nutrient assimilation, growth dynamics, and crop quality—factors critical for understanding future food nutritional adequacy. The work addresses an emerging concern that whilst elevated CO₂ may boost yield in some systems, it may simultaneously alter nutrient composition, with implications for human nutrition globally.
UK applicability
UK agricultural policy increasingly considers climate adaptation and crop resilience under future CO₂ scenarios. This review's findings on nutrient density changes under elevated CO₂ may inform UK breeding programmes, crop selection strategies, and food security assessments, particularly as the UK develops domestic food supply resilience post-Brexit.
Key measures
Nutrient concentration in crops under elevated CO₂; plant growth parameters; crop quality metrics; food security implications
Outcomes reported
The study explores how rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations affect nutrient assimilation, plant growth rates, and the nutritional quality of food crops. It examines mechanisms linking elevated CO₂ to changes in crop mineral content and implications for global food security.
Topic tags
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