The study developed a model to understand how climate and soil affect plant growth and soil respiration globally. They used satellite data, climate information, and soil characteristics to estimate how much carbon plants absorb and release. The model showed that most plant growth occurs near the equator. The global net primary production is estimated to be 48 billion tons of carbon per year. Standing litter stores around 174 billion tons of carbon, while soil carbon turnover happens over decades and comprises 300 billion tons. Changes in atmospheric CO2 levels correlate with plant growth in different regions.