Atmospheric CO2 data from the Australian Grains Free Air CO2 Enrichment (AGFACE) facility.

Within the Australian Grains Free Air CO2 Enrichment (AGFACE) research program, several facilities were established at different field sites near the towns of Horsham (36.752 S, 142.114 E; 127 m elevation), and Walpeup (35.121 S, 142.005 E; 94 m elevation) in the state of Victoria Australia from 2007 - 2017. These included: TraitFACE, SoilFACE, WalpeupFACE, VegeFACE, and NFACE. These facilities were designed to answer a range of research questions to understand the impacts of elevated CO2 (e[CO2]) on crop physiology and production. To this end, FACE 'rings' (octagons) were built to elevate atmospheric CO2 to 550 µmol/mol expected by 2050. These rings were open structures allowing crops to grow freely, without enclosures. Each side of an octagonal ring was individually controlled by a ring-side controller that injected CO2 over crops as per the control program. Infrared Gas Analysers (IRGAs) placed at ring centres sampled air continuously from 10 cm above the crop canopy, while CO2 was injected at a height 15 cm above the crop canopy. Infrared Gas Analysers (IRGAs) measured atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) during the cropping season and provided feedback to the controller to maintain ring-centre [CO2] at 550 µmol/mol. The [CO2] data were collected from the centre of each FACE ring from 2007 until 2017. The [CO2] within a ring was measured each second using calibrated IRGAs. Wind direction and speed were monitored continuously at 2 m above the soil surface at the centre of each ring. These measurements were also collected at the centres of a couple of ambient experimental areas (control - no rings) using the same IRGA and wind sensors. A wireless ethernet local area network (LAN) and a Visual Basic program were used to monitor and transmit data from the individual rings and control areas for data logging. Data at every 4th second and one-minute average (A_MN_CO2) from each ring were logged to daily files, and only A_MN_CO2 data were combined into a seasonal cumulative file. All data recorded during the IRGA warmup period and due to equipment malfunction were removed from cleaned data files. Only A_MN_CO2 data from the rings are uploaded in the Mendeley Data Repository for this article because these data are principally used by scientists and researchers. Data columns in an individual clean file are labelled with abbreviated column names and each file includes: 1) RING, 2) DATE, 3) TIME, 4) A_MN_CO2, 5) REGULAT, 6) WIND_SPD, 7) WIND_DIR and 8) RING_SEC. A limited amount of data (2007 CO2 data at ring centres from 8 TraitFACE rings) was published previously [1].

Elevated atmospheric [CO2 ] can dramatically increase wheat yields in semi-arid environments and buffer against heat waves.

Wheat production will be impacted by increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2 [CO2 ], which is expected to rise from about 400 µmol mol(-1) in 2015 to 550 µmol mol(-1) by 2050. Changes to plant physiology and crop responses from elevated [CO2 ] (e[CO2 ]) are well documented for some environments, but field-level responses in dryland Mediterranean environments with terminal drought and heat waves are scarce. The Australian Grains Free Air CO2 Enrichment facility was established to compare wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth and yield under ambient (~370 µmol(-1) in 2007) and e[CO2 ] (550 µmol(-1) ) in semi-arid environments. Experiments were undertaken at two dryland sites (Horsham and Walpeup) across three years with two cultivars, two sowing times and two irrigation treatments. Mean yield stimulation due to e[CO2 ] was 24% at Horsham and 53% at Walpeup, with some treatment responses greater than 70%, depending on environment. Under supplemental irrigation, e[CO2 ] stimulated yields at Horsham by 37% compared to 13% under rainfed conditions, showing that water limited growth and yield response to e[CO2 ]. Heat wave effects were ameliorated under e[CO2 ] as shown by reductions of 31% and 54% in screenings and 10% and 12% larger kernels (Horsham and Walpeup). Greatest yield stimulations occurred in the e[CO2 ] late sowing and heat stressed treatments, when supplied with more water. There were no clear differences in cultivar response due to e[CO2 ]. Multiple regression showed that yield response to e[CO2 ] depended on temperatures and water availability before and after anthesis. Thus, timing of temperature and water and the crop's ability to translocate carbohydrates to the grain postanthesis were all important in determining the e[CO2 ] response. The large responses to e[CO2 ] under dryland conditions have not been previously reported and underscore the need for field level research to provide mechanistic understanding for adapting crops to a changing climate.

Copper fungicide residues in Australian vineyard soils.

Copper (Cu) concentrations were measured in Australian vineyard soils to assess the extent and magnitude of Cu accumulation resulting from the use of Cu-based fungicides and to indicate the likely risks to long-term soil fertility. Soil samples were collected from 98 vineyards across 10 grape-growing regions of Australia and analyzed for total Cu concentrations. Ninety-six percent of vineyards surveyed had elevated Cu concentrations in soil compared to the background Cu concentrations in nearby soil in its native state. Concentrations of total B, Co, Cr, Pb, and Zn were similar to background concentrations and below reported toxicity guideline values. Cu concentrations in Australian vineyard soils were generally much lower (6-150 mg kg (-1)) than those reported in the soils of vineyards in parts of Europe (i.e., 130-1280 mg kg (-1)). Concentrations of total Cu were generally below those concentrations reported to cause lethal effects to soil invertebrates; however, Cu exceeded concentrations known to cause sublethal effects (i.e., inhibit growth, affect reproduction, induce avoidance behavior) to those (or related) invertebrates.