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The Anthropocene: Plants in a New Environmental Domain

Ecology and the Environment

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Abstract

The Anthropocene is the period of Earth history since the Industrial Revolution and is defined by the impact of mankind on the environment. Greenhouse gas concentrations, temperatures, precipitation, and atmospheric pollutants have changed significantly from 1750 to today. Climatic and environmental change will accelerate in the twenty-first century. Plants act as pivot points in global biogeochemical cycles. Plants provide many important ecosystem services including food production. Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration enhances plant productivity. Rising temperature stimulates plant productivity at high latitudes but impairs plant productivity at many temperate and tropical latitudes. Greater drought impairs plant productivity. Elevated ozone (O3) concentration impairs plant productivity. Crop plants can be adapted to future environmental change. Future environmental change can be mitigated by appropriate management of plants in agricultural and natural ecosystems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology and Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1402 Institute for Genomic Biology MC-116, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    Prof. Andrew D. B. Leakey

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  1. Prof. Andrew D. B. Leakey
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Correspondence to Andrew D. B. Leakey .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA

    Russell K Monson

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Leakey, A.D.B. (2014). The Anthropocene: Plants in a New Environmental Domain. In: Monson, R. (eds) Ecology and the Environment. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7612-2_6-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7612-2_6-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7612-2

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Plants in Changing Environmental Conditions of the Anthropocene
    Published:
    10 October 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7612-2_6-2

  2. Original

    The Anthropocene: Plants in a New Environmental Domain
    Published:
    03 April 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7612-2_6-1

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