MIT Scientists Study CO2 Effects on Tropical Forests

Scientists César Terrer from MIT and Josh Fisher from Chapman University have embarked on a unique research project near an active volcano in Costa Rica to explore the effects of elevated carbon dioxide levels on tropical ecosystems. By utilizing natural emissions from the Rincon de la Vieja volcano, which has CO2 concentrations four times higher than the global average, they aim to study the CO2 fertilization effect. Their innovative approach involves deploying a network of 50 Bluetooth-enabled sensors to continuously monitor CO2 levels for an entire year, which can provide critical insights into carbon sequestration potential in tropical forests and aid future climate predictions.