Consumption rates and food preferences of slugs in a calcareous grassland under current and future CO 2 conditions. Van Ginkel, J.H., et al., 2000. The benefits of CO2 continue to accrue Plants grow faster. Root systems improve. Water-use efficiency rises.
Drought resistance becomes stronger.
Countless stresses are minimized. Many of our past essays have dealt with this expected greening up of today's deserts thereby sequestering additional carbon, improving rangelands in semi-arid areas, and increasing agricultural productivity in arid areas. An article in a recent issue of the Journal of Arid Environments brings us news of yet another biological benefit of elevated CO 2 . A team of biologists from across America grew seedlings of three yucca species all native to the Southwest in controlled-environment glasshouses. They grew plants in various temperature regimes based in part on an analysis of 30 years of temperature records from the yucca's natural range.