
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Ziska, Lewis H. 
A1  - Caulfield, Frances A. 
T1  - Rising CO<emph type="8">2</emph> and pollen production of common ragweed (<emph type="2">Ambrosia artemisiifolia</emph> L.), a known allergy-inducing species: implications for public health.
JF  - Functional Plant Biology
JO  - Functional Plant Biol.
Y1  - 2000
VL  - 27
IS  - 10
SP  - 893
EP  - 898
KW  - allergens, elevated carbon dioxide, photosynthesis, pollen, relative growth rate.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/PP00032 
N2  - Although environmental factors such as precipitation and temperature are recognized as influencing pollen production, the impact of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (&#91;CO2&#93;) on the potential growth and pollen production of hay-fever-inducing plants is unknown. Here we present measurements of growth and pollen production of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) from pre-industrial &#91;CO2&#93; (280 mol mol&#8211;1) to current concentrations (370 mol mol&#8211;1) to a projected 21st century concentration (600 mol mol&#8211;1). We found that exposure to current and elevated &#91;CO2&#93; increased ragweed pollen production by 131 and 320%, respectively, compared to plants grown at pre-industrial &#91;CO2&#93;. The observed stimulations of pollen production from the pre-industrial &#91;CO2&#93; were due to an increase in the number (at 370 mol mol&#8211;1) and number and size (at 600 mol mol&#8211;1) of floral spikes. Overall, floral weight as a percentage of total plant weight decreased (from 21% to 13%), while investment in pollen increased (from 3.6 to 6%) between 280 and 600 mol mol&#8211;1 CO2. Our results suggest that the continuing increase in atmospheric &#91;CO2&#93; could directly influence public health by stimulating the growth and pollen production of allergy-inducing species such as ragweed. 
ER  -

