The study, published in the journal "Nature Climate Change," found that plants that were exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) during their growth produced offspring that were more tolerant of the gas. This tolerance was passed on for multiple generations, even when the offspring were grown in normal CO2 levels.
The researchers believe that this memory is passed on through changes in the DNA of the plants. These changes alter the way that the plants respond to high CO2 levels, making them more efficient at photosynthesis and less likely to suffer from the negative effects of the gas.
The findings suggest that plants may be able to adapt to climate change more quickly than previously thought. This could help to mitigate some of the negative impacts of rising CO2 levels, such as reduced crop yields and increased heat stress.
"Our results suggest that plants have a built-in mechanism for adapting to rising CO2 levels," said study lead author Dr. Jessica Savage, a research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. "This could help to protect plants and the ecosystems they support from the negative effects of climate change."
The researchers say that their findings could also have implications for plant breeding. By selecting for plants that have a memory of high CO2 levels, farmers could develop crops that are more resilient to climate change.
"This research could help us to develop crops that are better able to withstand the challenges of climate change," said Dr. Donald Ort, a professor of plant biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a co-author of the study. "This could help to ensure that we have enough food to feed the growing global population."
