to name but a few key papers). Many overview chapters are available in edited books (e.g. Seneweera and Norton, 2011; Stulen et al., 1998). In general, the picture emerges that many C3 plant species, particularly trees and C3 grasses, will be able to capitalise on e[CO2] and translate it into carbohydrate as a result of increases in photosynthesis rates and, consequently, better growth and yield (Ainsworth and Long, 2005; Ainsworth and Rogers, 2007; Leakey et al., 2009).