New research: Plant breathing patterns can help predict drought impacts, researchers find
New research from Stanford’s Remote Sensing Ecohydrology group published earlier this week in Nature improved the accuracy of earth systems models that examine the impact of droughts on ecosystems through considering plants’ breathing patterns. Droughts are increasing around the world: More than 29 million acres of land are lost to drought and desertification annually, according to a 2022 UN report. Better understanding of how plants contribute to droughts is critical to planning adaptation response.