How can higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels help invasive plants such as kudzu grow?

Higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels facilitate the growth of invasive plants like kudzu by directly fueling the process of photosynthesis.12

As a primary carbon source for the formation of organic compounds, increased carbon dioxide concentrations can enhance the rate of photosynthetic reactions. For botanical invaders, this boost in growth and reproductive success, combined with climate change and rising global temperatures, allows these species to expand their range into habitats that were previously inhospitable to them.21

Because these invasive species threaten biodiversity, it is ethically imperative to prioritize habitat restoration and aggressive monitoring to mitigate the ecological damage caused by their unchecked spread.1