North Carolina State University researchers coupled the satellite imagery with field sensors to estimate worldwide changes in plant leaf growth due to global warming.
“As we work to anticipate the future climate, a big question is what’s going to happen to vegetation, one of the largest stores of carbon on earth?” said Josh Gray, a co-author on the study.
“We know temperatures will rise and the growing season will be longer in most places, but there are a lot of unknowns about how that will affect how carbon is cycled between plants and the atmosphere. Our new results allow us to be more confident about what those changes will be.”
In addition to changing the timing and length of the seasons, climate change has also meant new plant growth in some areas. However, changes in the climate could also contribute to “browning” in other areas as higher temperatures can interfere with plant photosynthesis.
An outstanding question for climate change researchers...