Plants' response to rising CO2 could put the brakes on dryland expansion

Plants' response to rising CO2 could put the brakes on dryland expansion

Drylands are defined as regions where rainfall is low relative to the atmosphere's ability to draw water from soil and plants. Expanding boundaries of these regions are frequent concerns in climate change considerations. While they can support large populations and ecosystems, dryland expansion can worsen water scarcity, land degradation and desertification.