Academics from region in worldwide climate research

Sheffield University has been involved in research which measures the carbon dioxide being produced and consumed by plant growth and food production across the globe.

The new study, published yesterday, used large amounts of remote

sensors and climate data to assess Gross Primary Production – the process which drives all carbon dioxide fluxes in the atmosphere.

The research highlights that the consumption of carbon dioxide is most evident in the planet's tropical forests, which are responsible for 34 per cent of the inhalation of the gas from the atmosphere. Savannahs – areas of open tree and grasslands – account for 26 per cent of the global uptake, although they occupy almost twice as much surface area as tropical forests.

It was also found that rainfall plays a significant role in determining the gross global carbon dioxide uptake on areas of vegetated land.

The researchers used information from Fluxnet, an international initiative established more than 10 years ago to monitor exchanges of carbon dioxide.

The international collaboration involved Dr Mark Lomas and Professor Ian Woodward, from Sheffield University's department of Animal and Plant Sciences.

The study was published in the journal Science.