Climate change making food crops less nutritious, research finds
High CO2 levels significantly reduces essential nutrients in wheat, rice, maize and soyabeans, Nature paper reveals
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/07/climate-change-food-crops-nutrition
"Rising carbon dioxide emissions are set to make the world's staple food crops less nutritious, according to new scientific research, worsening the serious ill health already suffered by billions of malnourished people.
The surprise consequence of fossil fuel burning is linked directly to the rise in CO2 levels which, unlike some of the predicted impacts of climate change, are undisputed. The field trials of wheat, rice, maize and soybeans showed that higher CO2 levels significantly reduced the levels of the essential nutrients iron and zinc, as well as cutting protein levels.
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The research, published in the journal Nature, represents a major advance in the understanding of how rising CO2 levels affect food nutrition. The scientists compared nutrient levels in field crops grown in ambient CO2 levels, about 380-390 parts per milliion (ppm) at the time of the work, with those grown in the elevated CO2 levels expected by 2050. The latter level, 545-585ppm, is expected even if substantial curbs on emissions are put in place by the world's governments. In order to take account of variable growing conditions, the researchers analysed 41 different strains grown in seven locations on three different continents.
Wheat grown in high CO2 levels had 9% less zinc and 5% less iron, as well as 6% less protein, while rice had 3% less iron, 5% less iron and 8% less protein. Maize saw similar falls while soybeans lost similar levels of zinc and iron but, being a legume not a grass, did not see lower protein.
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= new reply since forum marked as read
This is nice concise piece that considers several possible issues with farming trends.
Nutritional Content of Produce
http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/nutritional-content-of-produce/
