A study held at the Beijing Academy of Sciences has determined that more intense and frequent droughts in the near future will decrease plant activity by two to three times.
Today, the Earth’s biosphere absorbs 30% of CO2 emissions, helping to contain global warming. But increasing the frequency of droughts could turn plants into net emitters by destroying their ability to store carbon dioxide.
This is by reducing the plants’ level of activity. Indeed, the stress conditions experienced by plants during dry spells affect their ability to perform certain basic functions, among them that of absorbing CO2 and transferring it to the soil.
Using climate models, the authors of the study calculated that reductions in plant activity associated with drought conditions will increase 2 to 3 times by 2100 under a 1.5 to 2 degree global warming assumption, while under a 4 degree increase assumption they will increase 3 to 4 times per year under a scenario where fossil fuels will still play an important role.
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