Why in news
Recent research study published in the journal Science indicates that plants take in more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere than previously thought.
Plants store this CO2 for a shorter period before releasing it back into the environment.
To establish their findings, the researchers investigated the remains of nuclear bomb tests the U.S. and the Soviet Union conducted in the 1960s using climate models.
Key Highlights of the Study
Plants absorb around 80 billion tonnes of CO2 per year, which is higher than previous estimates of 43-76 billion tonnes.
Plants release stored carbon into the atmosphere sooner than expected, suggesting a faster carbon cycling process.
The study used radiocarbon from Cold War nuclear tests to trace carbon movement in plants and validate models.
Results indicate that current climate models may underestimate how quickly carbon is cycled between vegetation and the atmosphere.
Researchers used climate models to track radiocarbon levels and their changes over time, offering insights into plant carbon dynamics.
The findings suggest that plants are less effective at storing carbon long-term, impacting strategies for offsetting carbon emissions.
The study highlights the need to incorporate radiocarbon data into climate models to enhance accuracy and predict future carbon storage more effectively.
Most climate models, including those used in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), have not fully integrated radiocarbon data, leading to potential inaccuracies in carbon cycling predictions.
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