"Climate Change Impairs Trees' Ability to Breathe"

Trees in warmer, drier climates are struggling to absorb carbon dioxide, leading to increased release of CO2 through a process called photorespiration, which challenges their role as natural carbon sinks. Research led by Penn State shows that as temperatures rise, trees are less able to draw down CO2 from the atmosphere, potentially reducing their effectiveness in offsetting human carbon emissions. The study suggests that the impact of climate change on trees' ability to sequester carbon needs to be considered in future climate models and highlights the need to understand how plants might adapt to a warming world.