A more fragrant world?

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According to leading climatologists and plant scientists, the Earth will become more fragrant as it grows warmer. Apparently, the higher temperatures will lead plants to produce more aromatic chemicals. From BBC Earth News:

Climate change will make the world more fragrant.

As CO2 levels increase and the world warms, land use, precipitation and the availability of water will also change.

In response to all these disruptions, plants will emit greater levels of fragrant chemicals called biogenic volatile organic compounds.

That will then alter how plants interact with one another and defend themselves against pests, according to a major scientific review.

According to the scientists leading the review, the world may already be becoming more fragrant, as plants have already begun emitting more smelly chemicals.

"The increase is exponential," says Professor Josep Penuelas, of the Global Ecology Unit at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.

"It may have increased already by 10% in the past 30 years and may increase 30 to 40% with the two to three degrees (Celsius) warming projected for the next decades."



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This page contains a single entry by Richard published on February 9, 2010 12:46 PM.

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Some interesting tidbits is the next entry in this blog.