How does CO₂ concentration affect photosynthesis?

Question

I have heard the theory that with the increase of CO₂ in the air, the speed of the photosynthesis would increase, thereby limiting the increase of CO₂ levels. What is currently the rate limiting factor of photosynthetic reactions in plants? Is it really CO₂, or rather the limited energy that a plant can absorb from sunlight?

Answer 1

Photosynthesis happens in two main stages: the light stage and the dark stage. The availability of CO2 is a limiting factor of the dark stage where the plant creates glucose. The availability of light directly effects the light stage. Any factor of the process would alter photosynthesis though.