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Amazon Trees Grow 3.3% Decade Thanks to CO2 Boost

10/2/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A new study finds Amazon's average tree size risen 3.3% per decade since the 1970s.
The analysis involved nearly 100 scientists across 188 plots from 1971 to 2015.
Higher carbon dioxide levels boost growth, acting as a fertilizer for photosynthesis.
Large trees, 1% of the forest, account for 50% of carbon cycling and storage; smaller trees threaten balance.

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Story summary

A new study finds Amazon's average tree size risen 3.3% per decade since the 1970s.
The analysis involved nearly 100 scientists across 188 plots from 1971 to 2015.
Higher carbon dioxide levels boost growth, acting as a fertilizer for photosynthesis.
Large trees, 1% of the forest, account for 50% of carbon cycling and storage; smaller trees threaten balance.