Effects of future CO₂ levels on trees

Rosa Sanchez-Lucas, Ph.D / Prof. Dr. Estella Luna Diez

School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

Plants encounter a wide range of stresses, both abiotic (like drought or heat) and biotic (such as pests or diseases). Climate change is making these stresses more frequent and severe, posing significant challenges to plant health across the globe. When plants face infections, they activate defense mechanisms to protect themselves. Beyond this immediate response, plants can also use a strategy called priming, which prepares their defense systems to respond more effectively to future threats—similar to how vaccines prime the immune system in humans.
In my research group, we focus on understanding priming in various plant systems, including crops like tomatoes and forest trees like oaks. My presentation will share our latest findings on priming in trees, with a special focus on how this phenomenon functions in the context of climate change. Specifically, I will discuss how elevated levels of atmospheric CO₂, a key factor driving climate change, influence priming. To investigate this, we use the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (BIFoR FACE) facilities, where we are exposing 200-year-old English oak trees to the levels of CO₂ expected by 2050. These experiments are crucial because current CO₂ levels are higher than they’ve been in 2 million years, and human activities are driving them even higher. While much research focuses on trees’ ability to capture carbon, it’s equally important to understand how rising CO₂ impacts their immune systems. By examining priming under these future conditions, we aim to gain insights into how trees might adapt—or struggle—in the face of ongoing climate change.