As atmospheric CO 2 increases there will almost certainly be alterations in soil carbon fluxes. It is likely that such alterations will be accompanied by changes in the partitioning of carbon between organic structures and to soil processes. These changes have the potential for further altering the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. While there has been increasing recognition of the importance of soil-mediated responses to global climate change, the nature and magnitude of these responses are not well understood. In an effort to expand our assessment of the significance of belowground responses to rising atmospheric CO 2 , a workshop has been organized that resulted in the peer-reviewed contributions that are contained in this volume.

Klappentext

As atmospheric CO2 increases there will almost certainly be alterations in soil carbon fluxes. It is likely that such alterations will be accompanied by changes in the partitioning of carbon between organic structures and to soil processes. These changes have the potential for further altering the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. While there has been increasing recognition of the importance of soil-mediated responses to global climate change, the nature and magnitude of these responses are not well understood. In an effort to expand our assessment of the significance of belowground responses to rising atmospheric CO2, a workshop has been organized that resulted in the peer-reviewed contributions that are contained in this volume.

Zusammenfassung
****Such a highly valuable reading deserves wide circulation.**'** **Biologia Plantarum, 38:1 (1996)** **It can be recommended to all those working in plant, soil and environmental sciences, especially to those who are interested in global climate and environment changing.'
Journal of Plant Physiology, 149 (1996)**

Inhalt

1. Belowground responses to rising atmospheric CO2: Implications for plants, soil biota and ecosystem processes. Executive summary.- Root Biology.- 2. Issues and perspectives for investigating root responses to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide.- 3. Root response to Co2 enrichment and nitrogen supply in loblolly pine.- 4. Free-air CO2 enrichment of cotton: Vertical and lateral root distribution patterns.- 5. Above- and belowground response of Populus grandidentata to elevated atmospheric CO2 and soil N availability.- Soil Biota.- 6. Responses of soil biota to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide.- 7. Soil microbial response in tallgrass prairie to elevated CO2.- 8. The response of mycorrhizal colonization to elevated CO2 and climate change in Pascopyrum smithii and Bouteloua gracilis.- 9. Effect of elevated CO2 on mycorrhizal colonization of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings.- 10. Evaluation of the use of a model rhizodeposition technique to separate root and microbial respiration in soil.- Ecosystem Processes.- 11. Biomass production in a nitrogen-fertilized, tallgrass prairie ecosystem exposed to ambient and elevated levels of CO2.- 12. Effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen fertilization pretreatments on decomposition on tallgrass prairie leaf litter.- 13. Soil pCO2, soil respiration, and root activity in CO2-fumigated and nitrogen-fertilized ponderosa pine.- 14. Enhanced root system C-sink activity, water relations and aspects of nutrient acquisition in mycotrophic Bouteloua gracilis subjected to CO2 enrichment.- Modelling.- 15. Modelling the belowground response of plants and soil biota to edaphic and climatic change What can we expect to gain?.- 16. Carbon cost of root systems: An architectural approach.