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Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE

OzFACE: the Australian savanna free air CO2 enrichment facility and its relevance to carbon-cycling issues in a tropical savanna

Chris Stokes A E , Andrew Ash B , Mark Tibbett C and Joe Holtum D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Savannas Management, Davies Laboratory, PMB PO Aitkenvale, Qld 4814, Australia.

B CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, 306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia.

C Centre for Land Rehabilitation, School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

D James Cook University, School of Tropical Biology, Department of Tropical Plant Science, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: chris.stokes@csiro.au

Australian Journal of Botany 53(7) 677-687 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT04140
Submitted: 13 September 2004  Accepted: 12 April 2005   Published: 29 November 2005

Abstract

A free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) facility has recently been constructed in a tropical savanna in north-eastern Queensland, Australia. The system has a novel and cost-effective design and uses an industrial source of pure CO2 piped directly to the site. We describe the design details of this facility and assess the likely contribution it will make towards advancing our understanding of the direct impacts of rising atmospheric CO2 on savannas. These include addressing uncertainties about future shifts in the tree–grass balance and associated changes in carbon stocks, responses of C4 grasses in dry tropical environments, potential sequestration of soil carbon, and the modifications of CO2 responses by moisture and nutrient interactions. Tropical regions have been poorly represented in climate change research, and the work at the OzFACE facility will complement existing and ongoing FACE studies at temperate latitudes.


Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to Queensland Nickel Pty Ltd for their assistance, including the provision of CO2 and use of the land on which the OzFACE site is located. Funding support was provided by the Australian Research Council, the Australian Greenhouse Office and the CRC for Tropical Savannas Management. Campbell Scientific Australia constructed the FACE rings and assisted with their design. Mike Whiting, David O. Carter and Tammy Edmonds-Tibbett provided valuable assistance.


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