CO2 Marsh Study

How do plants respond to rising CO2 levels? To find out, plant physiologist Bert Drake monitors plants used in his CO2 study at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
(Kimbra Cutlip/Smithsonian Institution)

How do plants respond to rising CO2 levels? To find out, plant physiologist Bert Drake at SERC exposed marsh plants near the Chesapeake Bay to CO2 levels expected in 50 and 100 years. Different species and ecosystems respond differently—leaving uncertainty about the ability of plants to act as effective buffers against increases in atmospheric CO2. Learn more about Dr. Drake’s long-running field study.