Trees Soaking Up Less Carbon Than Expected, Study Finds
Pretty blunt smackdown of the “but CO2 is treee foood” denier talking point, I’d say. So why would increased CO2 have the effect of stunting tree growth?Scientists and policy-makers hoping to use forests to naturally soak up increasing amounts of carbon dioxide may have overestimated the role of trees as carbon sinks, according to a new study by University of Guelph researchers.
Contrary to expectations, tree growth has declined over the past century despite rising amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere, said Madhur Anand, a professor in Guelph’s School of Environmental Sciences.
Just goes to show how complex and interconnected nature is, and how, when you destroy up one piece, several others fall away as well.Under warming-related stress, some trees use water more efficiently but grow more slowly. That means trees are storing less atmospheric CO2 than expected, the Guelph professor said.