Climate Change

Plants release up to 30 per cent more CO2 than previously thought, study says

Plants release up to 30 per cent more CO2 than previously thought, study says

"During daylight hours, plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen through photosynthesis, and at night only about half that carbon is then released through respiration. However, plants still remain a net carbon sink, meaning they absorb more than they emit.

"Currently, around 25 per cent of carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels is being taken up and stored by plants, which is good, as it helps reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," ANU researcher Owen Atkin said. "Our work suggests that this positive contribution of plants may decline in the future as they begin to respire more as the world warms."