Rising CO₂ is making African savanna grasses grow more – what this means for grazing, fire and carbon storage

What it is about

Who published it, and when

How it spread - 1 original report

1. Mon, 5 October 2026

   1 report
   • polity.org.za08:57first to report
     Rising CO₂ is making African savanna grasses grow more – what this means for grazing, fire and carbon storage

     Plants use carbon dioxide (CO₂) in photosynthesis to make the carbohydrates they need to grow. As the CO₂ in the atmosphere rises, mainly because humans are burning fossil fuels, many plants can photosynthesise more or use water more efficiently. This is known as “CO₂ fertilisation”. Scientists have carried out numerous studies into CO₂ fertilisation in forests, crops and temperate ecosystems. What has been much less researched is how wild grasses in tropical savannas respond.