Carbon dioxide fertilization

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The carbon dioxide or shortly CO 2 fertilization is a fertilization method for plants in the fields of greenhouses and aquariums and garden ponds . In addition, in the FACE experiment , experiments in the field and in climatic chambers on the CO 2 fertilization effect on crops are also carried out.

Dependence of the photosynthesis rate on the amount of CO 2 in the air in C 3 and C 4 plants.

Basics

Plants need carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) for photosynthesis and produce oxygen in the process. The CO 2 contained in the natural ambient air is currently approx. 400 parts per million (parts per million = ppm) below the optimal growth proportion of approx. 800 to 1000 for C 3 plants such as wheat, rye or rice ppm. If the plants are provided with additional carbon dioxide, the plants can grow better or faster. In the case of the C 4 plants , which include maize, sugar cane and millet, the saturation limit is just above 400 ppm, so that CO 2 fertilization is not required for these plant species. The same applies to the group of CAM plants , whose metabolism also requires relatively little CO 2 .

Use in greenhouses

By enriching the air in the greenhouse with CO 2 , plant growth can be increased by up to 40 percent in some species. In greenhouses, CO 2 fertilization is usually carried out using so-called CO 2 cannons , which burn gas in an open combustion chamber and feed it into the room via a fan. The proportion of carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas can also be used for fertilization by heating systems or a block-type thermal power station for heating and power generation. Carbon- rich secondary plant substances such as cardiac glycosides ( cardenolides ) experience an additional increase in their content in the plant tissue through carbon dioxide enrichment.

Negative effects

If the CO 2 concentration is increased excessively, however, the growth-promoting effect ceases and turns into the opposite. Investigations on the Acker-Schmalwand showed that with CO 2 concentrations increased up to 750 ppm, the biomass production of this plant was lower than under normal conditions. It is therefore conceivable or likely that other plants will also react with lower biomass production at such elevated concentrations.

Application in the aquarium hobby

Aquatic plants need carbon dioxide dissolved in water for photosynthesis. In aquariums it often happens that too little CO 2 is dissolved in the water because too many plants consume CO 2 . Fertilization by means of a refillable reusable CO 2 pressure container is widespread in the aquarium hobby. From this, the CO 2 is fed into the aquarium water in precisely adjustable dosages via a pressure reducer with a needle valve and a hose connected to it. The use of CO 2 from yeast fermentation is also common and is mainly used in smaller aquariums such as a nano aquarium . The gaseous input of CO 2 over a longer period of time enables more effective plant growth. Theoretically, this method can also be applied to garden ponds and fish ponds, but apart from the greater and thus expensive technical effort, additional factors such as rainwater or evaporation must be taken into account.

Interactions

If too much carbon dioxide is dissolved in the water, the fish will have difficulty breathing. In addition, if the carbonate hardness (KH value) is low, an acid fall can occur, which in extreme cases can lower the pH value by up to 5 units. Corrosive conditions cannot be achieved with carbon dioxide, but some aquatic organisms are sensitive to low pH values.

The widespread assumption in aquariums that the water hardness can be gradually reduced by adding carbon dioxide does not apply. On the other hand, a loss of hardness occurs if lime is deposited in the absence of carbon dioxide . However, this can be brought back into solution by supplying CO 2 and the hardness restored.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ A. Fangmeier, H.-J. Hunter: Effects of increased CO 2 concentrations . Institute for Plant Ecology at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen. 2001. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  2. ^ Otto Domke: Natural gas in nurseries . BDEW Federal Association of Energy and Water Management e. V .. 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
  3. ↑ T. Stuhlfauth and HP Fock, Effect of whole season CO2 enrichment on the cultivation of a medicinal plant, Digitalis lanata, J. Agronomy & Crop Science, 164, 168-173, 1990, doi : 10.1111 / j.1439-037X. 1990.tb00803.x
  4. ↑ DM Ribeiro, Araújo WL, Fernie AR, Schippers JH, Mueller-Roeber B .: Action of gibberellins on growth and metabolism of Arabidopsis plants associated with high concentration of carbon dioxide . In: Plant Physiology . 160, No. 4, December 2012, pp. 1781-1794. doi : 10.1104 / pp.112.204842 .
  5. ↑ Nano Aquarium Tips . Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ Roland Selzer: Aquarium Guide . Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ Hartmut Schmitt: Water for garden ponds . Retrieved May 7, 2014.