In Minnesota, trees were expected to release 23% more CO2 as climate change warms the planet, but a new study found a surprising result

Plants release more carbon dioxide as temperatures rise. Scientists have long worried that this could cause forests to absorb less carbon and eventually become a source of carbon, making climate change worse.

However, a new University of Minnesota study of more than 1,000 young trees suggests the impact may be much smaller than previously thought. The researchers found that trees can adjust to warmer temperatures and release far less additional carbon dioxide than expected.