Scientists have discovered that plants might not be able to soak up as much carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air as we thought. CO₂ is the main gas causing climate change, and plants absorb it as they grow.
The problem comes from tiny organisms in the soil. These organisms turn nitrogen from the air into food that plants need to grow. Scientists used to think they made about 50% more plant food than they actually do. With less nitrogen available, plants can't grow as fast — and that means they can't absorb as much CO₂.
The researchers found that climate computer models were about 11% too optimistic about how much CO₂ plants would absorb. While farms have added extra nitrogen through fertilizers (75% more in 20 years), these fertilizers cause their own problems like water pollution.
This doesn't mean climate science is broken. It means scientists are doing their job — finding errors and making their predictions more accurate.