Plants Absorb More Carbon Dioxide Than Previously Estimated: New Study Reveals

A recent study published in the journal *Nature* shows that terrestrial plants are absorbing **31% more carbon dioxide (CO2)** than previously calculated, underscoring the significance of natural carbon sinks in mitigating greenhouse gases. This discovery is crucial for refining models that predict future climate changes. The research team, led by Cornell University, utilized an innovative approach by tracking carbonyl sulfide (OCS) uptake by plants, which is closely tied to photosynthesis and easier to measure than CO2. The team's integrated model assessed the global terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) — the largest carbon exchange between land and atmosphere — at *157 petagrams of carbon per year*, a significant increase from the former estimate of 120 petagrams. This substantial revision stems from a better understanding of mesophyll diffusion, the process describing the movement of OCS and CO2 from the air into plant chloroplasts. The research highlighted the underestimation of carbon absorption in tropical rainforests, now identified as more significant natural carbon sinks. The results stress the importance of incorporating key processes like mesophyll conductance into global-scale models to enhance predictions about the Earth's carbon cycle and future climate scenarios. The study's findings hold potential for improving future climate predictions, with support from institutions like Cornell University, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation.