Plants might not hold on to carbon as long as we thought

Plants may not retain carbon for as long as previously believed, according to a study published in Science. Researchers analyzed radioactive carbon-14 pulses from 20th-century bomb tests and found that plants store more carbon in short-lived tissues like leaves than previously estimated. This suggests that the carbon stored in these tissues is more likely to be released back into the atmosphere, potentially impacting projections of the biosphere's ability to sequester anthropogenic carbon. The study highlights the importance of understanding how long Earth's biosphere can retain carbon, especially as climate change accelerates. While current models suggest that vegetation and soils absorb about 30% of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions, the study indicates that plants may be accumulating carbon faster than previously thought. However, the research also reveals that more carbon is stored in vulnerable short-lived biomass, emphasizing the need to limit fossil fuel emissions to prevent carbon release. The findings raise questions about the accuracy of climate models in simulating the role of vegetation in carbon storage.