As temperatures rise and rainfall patterns become less predictable, the rates of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in plants can shift, disrupting carbon movement through ecosystems and reducing crop productivity. You face a broader food system and environmental challenge because these biological changes affect yields, water use, and the stability of carbon cycling across land and water systems.

How can we advise local farmers on crop actions that reduce yield loss when hotter temperatures and changing rainfall disrupt photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the movement of carbon through the ecosystem? Students investigate how plants take in, build, and release matter, then use that evidence to explain impacts on the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Working with input from a regional conservation or watershed partner, they develop a clear, evidence-based recommendation for farmers.

A regional conservation nonprofit or watershed organization can serve as the project partner and client by helping students connect plant health, carbon movement, and ecosystem impacts to local land and water systems. Staff or volunteers can share local observations about how heat and changing rainfall affect crops, soils, and nearby waterways, giving students a real audience for their farmer advisory briefing. They can also provide regional data, field examples, or a virtual Q&A so students ground their recommendations in current environmental conditions.