The research, whose lead author is former University of Otago paleobotanist Tammo Reichgelt, is the first of its kind to measure how ancient plants respond to living in a world with elevated levels of carbon dioxide.
Dr Reichgelt, who now works at the University of Connecticut in the United States, produced work that was published this week in the European Geosciences Union journal Climate of the Past.
It provided the first evidence that Foulden Maar trees, growing in an environment with elevated carbon dioxide levels, functioned very differently from trees today.
Plants that grew in the warmer, high-carbon dioxide environment of Otago millions of years ago could have been better or as good at conserving water as modern-day trees in much more water-stressed environments.
"Because the leaves at Foulden Maar are mummified, the site presents a very rare opportunity to make anatomical and chemical measurements on the leaves that translate directly to climatic and atmospheric conditions at the time the forest was growing," Dr Reichgelt said.
In the not so distant future, environmental conditions could be more favourable to plant growth and forest expansion — a global greening effect.
However, Dr Reichgelt warned it was difficult to predict the winners and losers in an atmosphere with higher levels of carbon dioxide and increased global temperatures.
The research continued to highlight the potential of the scientifically valuable Foulden Maar, which "came close to being used for pig food and palm oil fertiliser", he said.
The Dunedin City Council in July said it was continuing to work with the receivers of Foulden Maar.
Early this year, former council chief executive Sue Bidrose said a property valuation for the site was expected soon, and negotiations to acquire the land would begin once the council received the valuation.
Yesterday, a DCC spokesman said the council’s valuer was "reviewing documents that have recently been supplied by the receiver".
When it emerged Plaman Resources planned to mine diatomite at the fossil-rich crater lake, it triggered outrage from neighbours and members of the scientific community.
Plaman Resources was placed in receivership last year.
At the time, there were calls at a public meeting for the council to use the Public Works Act to acquire the site and prevent it being bought by another group with mining interests.
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It may come as a shock to some greenies with a doomsday outlook. The gaia hypothesis suggests the earth will respond to high atmospheric co2 albeit with a lagtime. A second carboniferous period. Co2 is the limiting factor in plant growth rates, so this is plausible. It may not suit the mayor's gloomy outlook thou
Unfortunately the greening effect is not going to save humanity from the effects of climate change. Here are some other stories you can find in the news today:
As world temperatures rise, the rate at which plants in certain regions can absorb carbon dioxide is declining, according to University of Queensland research.
A recent study has revealed that Arctic sea ice could disappear into the ocean in the coming 15 years.
Greenland's ice sheet lost a record amount of mass last year, according to a study published on Thursday, a finding that could prompt scientists to redefine their worst-case scenario as they assess the effects of climate change.
Hundreds of fires, stoked by a searing heatwave, prompt governor to declare a state of emergency.
In the Amazon there were 6,803 fires in July, vs 5,318 a year ago, according to INPE, making it the worst July since 2017.
Past decade hottest ever recorded.
That is exactly what those who are sceptic of alarmists climate change have been saying for decades. NASA has recorded the effective greening of the earth as CO2 levels have increased as well. Anyone that runs a commercial greenhouse will point out the benefits of increased CO2 which they normally increase to 1200ppm. Growth is generally 30% faster and water use 30 - 50% less.
Then there is the effects of clouds which is only now being studied in depth.
The fact that CO2 is a greenhouse gas was settled long ago but the effect of increased levels on a chaotic system such as a living planet which is 2/3 covered in kilometer deep water, that spins on a wobbly, tilted access, has a molten core of rock and iron that generates a protective magnetic shield from solar and cosmic rays that are so powerful they can pass right through the planet, as it travels through space in a cluster, all powered by a giant nuclear reactor that has seasons of it's own, is not.
Science is never settled. It's about exploring, learning, understanding and therefore can never be settled. That is why a study is called re search. That is where the fun and wonderment lays.