I think the scientific language in this article might give a misleading impression. The atmosphere today actually contains more moisture than it used to because it is warmer. But this also means the difference between how much it holds, and the maximum it could hold is also greater. This "vapor pressure deficit" means that plants lose more moisture to the air. Vapor pressure deficit is kind of the opposite of relative humidity.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/uom-adw030821.php
News Release 8-Mar-2021
Atmospheric drying will lead to lower crop yields, shorter trees across the globe
University of Minnesota
A global observation of an ongoing atmospheric drying -- known by scientists as a rise in vapor pressure deficit -- has been observed worldwide since the early 2000s. In recent years, this concerning phenomenon has been on the rise, and is predicted to amplify even more in the coming decades as climate change intensifies.
In a new paper published in the journal Global Change Biology, research from the University of Minnesota and Western University in Ontario, Canada, outlines global atmospheric drying significantly reduces productivity of both crops and non-crop plants, even under well-watered conditions. The new findings were established on a large-scale analysis covering 50 years of research and 112 plant species.
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