Round metal fans whir. Scientists may disagree about what the specific effects of this increase will be, but most agree that it should be studied. Since plants absorb CO 2 as they grow, turning the carbon into their leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and wood, rising CO 2 concentrations can have significant consequences. In the OEB glasshouse, a tangle of African savanna trees reaches almost 4 feet in a room with elevated levels of CO 2 . On the other side of the glass wall, in ambient CO 2 concentrations, the same trees reach only to 2 feet.
Some plants stop responding while others continue over the course of years.
Since it was built in 1986, the facility has been used extensively to study this and other problems. Studies conducted in the OEB glasshouse have examined changes in photosynthetic activity, growth, allocation, morphology, and timing of reproduction, and have resulted in hundreds of publications. As greenhouse manager, Stomberg must not only keep the plants thriving, but also must maintain consistent experimental conditions. Helping Stomberg is a sophisticated monitoring and control system. An infrared gas analyzer measures the CO 2 levels in the air of each chamber every two minutes and sends it to a computer.