Swiss study sheds light on how heat affects photosynthesis

The capacity of trees to carry out photosynthesis is reduced when temperatures climb above 30°C, according to a study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). In all species looked at for the study, researchers found that the uptake of CO2, by means of which the tree produces sugar from sunlight during photosynthesis, decreases at temperatures above 30°C, while water loss through transpiration continues to increase. Inefficient photosynthesis over a long period can seriously compromise the growth, development and adaptability of trees and plants – and ultimately have repercussions for the entire forest ecosystem, according to the WSL. + Read more: how Swiss forests are adapting for the future The scientists also showed that trees reduce their uptake of CO2 even when there is sufficient CO2 in the air. The study, published in the New Phytologist journal, calls into question the traditional hypothesis that reduced photosynthesis at high ...