• •Researchers identified a previously under-studied pollutant that disrupts how trees exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen.
• •Data suggests that this interference may inhibit the ability of global forests to act as effective carbon sinks.
• •Current climate models may be inaccurate, as they have not accounted for this pollutant's specific impact on tree respiration.
• •The full scope of the long-term biological damage to forest ecosystems remains uncertain and requires further field verification.

Scientists reporting in Latest Science News indicate that a specific atmospheric pollutant is actively altering the gas-exchange processes of forests globally. While forests have long been relied upon to stabilize the climate by sequestering carbon, this chemical interference may be reducing their efficiency. However, the extent of the disruption remains unclear, and researchers caution that current carbon-budget models are likely incomplete. Whether these findings will necessitate an immediate revision of climate policy depends on how quickly the broader environmental impact can be quantified.