Trees keep absorbing carbon long after they stop growing
A new study reveals that oak trees continue to absorb carbon dioxide even after their annual growth cycle has ended. This suggests that current climate models may be overestimating the amount of carbon forests can store in wood over the long term.
Why it matters
This finding indicates that forests might be less effective at mitigating climate change than previously assumed, requiring adjustments to global climate forecasting models.
Trees do not necessarily keep growing for as long as they keep photosynthesizing, according to a new study published in Science Advances . Researchers found that oak trees continue absorbing carbon dioxide well after their annual growth has ended, suggesting forests may store less carbon in wood than many climate models currently predict.
The article reports on scientific findings from a peer-reviewed study without political or ideological framing.
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