plants are no longer absorbing carbon dioxide

Question

While elevated levels of CO2 can help plants grow, the impacts of climate change mean it’s not all good news for plants. However, after researching this claim, I found a study done by a researcher at the Columbia Climate School drawing the conclusion that with global warming, and climate change, we are seeing a spike in CO2 content in our air, which has no negative effect on the amount of CO2 that plants absorb.

While there are negative effects of climate change that plants experience, it is not from a lack of CO2 absorption, it is from other factors that cause plants to release water at a slower rate.

Answer 1

The claim that plants are not absorbing carbon dioxide is extremely misleading. The article's purpose was to explain that climate change is affecting plants, not necessarily their CO2 absorption. However, an article from NASA (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-study-finds-tropical-forests-ability-to-absorb-carbon-dioxide-is-waning/) explained that while they still absorb some CO2, plants and trees are also a cause of greenhouse gas emissions. Since there has been an increase in droughts and forest fires, which are ways that plants and trees emit greenhouse gases, they are starting to offset the amount that they absorb. Both articles explain that climate change is also a contributing factor to rising CO2 emissions. So, while CO2 is rising, it is not that plants aren't absorbing them; they are, but other circumstances are starting to offset the amount being absorbed, making it seem like the rate has lowered.

Comments

I agree with the point you're making here, especially considering it's hard to tell exactly where the claim came from, it appears very broad and doesn't factor in any details the article actually talks about that mention different ecosystems or soil types and the different ways plants take in nutrients.