Plants absorb less carbon dioxide than scientists once thought, according to new research that suggests Earth’s natural carbon buffer is weaker than many climate models assume.
For decades, rising atmospheric CO2 has been expected to stimulate plant growth – a phenomenon often referred to as the CO2 fertilization effect.
In theory, higher CO2 levels allow plants to photosynthesize more efficiently, drawing additional carbon from the atmosphere and slowing climate change. That benefit, however, depends on the availability of nitrogen, a key nutrient that plants need to grow. New findings show that scientists have significantly overestimated the amount of nitrogen nature actually provides.
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