Development of Water Stress under Increased Atmospheric CO2 Concentration

The increase in water use efficiency (the ratio of photosynthetic to transpiration rates) is likely to be the commonest positive effect of long-term elevation in CO₂ concentration (CE). This may not necessarily lead to decrease in long-term water use owing to increased leaf area. However, some plant species seem to cope better with drought stress under CE, because increased production of photosynthates might enhance osmotic adjustment and decreased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate under CE enable plants to maintain a higher leaf water potential during drought. In addition, at the same stomatal conductance, internal CO₂ concentration might be higher under CE which results in higher photosynthetic rate. Therefore plants under CE of the future atmosphere will probably survive eventual higher drought stress and some species may even be able to extend their biotope into less favourable sites. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.