This book includes keynote invited papers from the Third International Crop Science Congress held in Hamburg, Germany in August 2000. All papers have been prepared and revised within strict editorial guidelines to ensure that the work is a balanced review text that provides an overview of the major issues confronting crop science today and in the future. It therefore represents a suitable advanced textbook for students as well as offering research workers concise overviews of topics adjacent to their areas of research. Contributors include leading world authorities from Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

This book provides an up-to-date review of the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on agroecosystems, forests, and grasslands. It summarizes the main findings from 13 experiments with annual crops, permanent pastures and plantation forests at 11 sites throughout the world during the past ten years. The results significantly alter our perception of how rising CO2 will directly affect these managed ecosystems.

Managed ecosystems cover a large part of the Earth's land surface, provide almost all of our food and most of our wood and fibre, and are increasingly a source of renewable energy. Forecasting the ability of managed ecosystems to continue these vital roles in a globally changing environment is an inter-disciplinary challenge.

To elucidate the complex responses of managed systems to elevated CO2], several free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) facilities were established. These FACE systems allow large areas to be exposed to the elevated CO2] we expect by the middle of the century. This volume summarizes the main findings from 13 experiments with annual crops, permanent pastures and plantation forests at 11 sites throughout the world during the past ten years. The results significantly alter our perception of how rising CO2] will directly affect these managed ecosystems, with implications for policy, plant-breeding objectives and adaptation.