Growth of the Amazon rainforest in our increasingly carbon-rich atmosphere could be limited by a lack of phosphorus in the soil, new research shows.
Growth of the Amazon rainforest in our increasingly carbon-rich atmosphere could be limited by a lack of phosphorus in the soil, new research shows.
Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) cause plants to grow more quickly, meaning they store more carbon.
This storage – especially in huge forests like the Amazon – helps to limit rising CO2 levels, slowing climate change.
However, plants also need nutrients to grow, and the new study shows that availability of a particular nutrient, phosphorus, could limit the Amazon's ability to increase productivity (growth rate) as CO2 rises.
Read more at University of Exeter
Photo Credit: Kanenori via Pixabay
