Higher than expected CO2 fertilization inferred from leaf to global observations
(2020) In Global Change Biology 26(4). p.2390-2402- Abstract
Several lines of evidence point to an increase in the activity of the terrestrial biosphere over recent decades, impacting the global net land carbon sink (NLS) and its control on the growth of atmospheric carbon dioxide (ca). Global terrestrial gross primary production (GPP)—the rate of carbon fixation by photosynthesis—is estimated to have risen by (31 ± 5)% since 1900, but the relative contributions of different putative drivers to this increase are not well known. Here we identify the rising atmospheric CO2 concentration as the dominant driver. We reconcile leaf-level and global atmospheric constraints on trends in modeled biospheric activity to reveal a global CO2 fertilization effect on... (More)
Several lines of evidence point to an increase in the activity of the terrestrial biosphere over recent decades, impacting the global net land carbon sink (NLS) and its control on the growth of atmospheric carbon dioxide (ca). Global terrestrial gross primary production (GPP)—the rate of carbon fixation by photosynthesis—is estimated to have risen by (31 ± 5)% since 1900, but the relative contributions of different putative drivers to this increase are not well known. Here we identify the rising atmospheric CO2 concentration as the dominant driver. We reconcile leaf-level and global atmospheric constraints on trends in modeled biospheric activity to reveal a global CO2 fertilization effect on photosynthesis of 30% since 1900, or 47% for a doubling of ca above the pre-industrial level. Our historic value is nearly twice as high as current estimates (17 ± 4)% that do not use the full range of available constraints. Consequently, under a future low-emission scenario, we project a land carbon sink (174 PgC, 2006–2099) that is 57 PgC larger than if a lower CO2 fertilization effect comparable with current estimates is assumed. These findings suggest a larger beneficial role of the land carbon sink in modulating future excess anthropogenic CO2 consistent with the target of the Paris Agreement to stay below 2°C warming, and underscore the importance of preserving terrestrial carbon sinks.
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- author
- Haverd, Vanessa ; Smith, Benjamin LU ; Canadell, Josep G. ; Cuntz, Matthias ; Mikaloff-Fletcher, Sara ; Farquhar, Graham ; Woodgate, William ; Briggs, Peter R. and Trudinger, Cathy M.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020-04
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- amplitude of seasonal cycle, carbonyl sulfide, CO fertilization, coordination of photosynthesis, gross primary production, land carbon sink
- in
- Global Change Biology
- volume
- 26
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 13 pages
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:32017317
- scopus:85081756522
- ISSN
- 1354-1013
- DOI
- 10.1111/gcb.14950
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 684a0c50-d1f8-4c56-a87b-61e1c53e1925
- date added to LUP
- 2020-03-31 14:54:21
- date last changed
- 2024-06-13 13:41:40
@article{684a0c50-d1f8-4c56-a87b-61e1c53e1925,
abstract = {{<p>Several lines of evidence point to an increase in the activity of the terrestrial biosphere over recent decades, impacting the global net land carbon sink (NLS) and its control on the growth of atmospheric carbon dioxide (c<sub>a</sub>). Global terrestrial gross primary production (GPP)—the rate of carbon fixation by photosynthesis—is estimated to have risen by (31 ± 5)% since 1900, but the relative contributions of different putative drivers to this increase are not well known. Here we identify the rising atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentration as the dominant driver. We reconcile leaf-level and global atmospheric constraints on trends in modeled biospheric activity to reveal a global CO<sub>2</sub> fertilization effect on photosynthesis of 30% since 1900, or 47% for a doubling of c<sub>a</sub> above the pre-industrial level. Our historic value is nearly twice as high as current estimates (17 ± 4)% that do not use the full range of available constraints. Consequently, under a future low-emission scenario, we project a land carbon sink (174 PgC, 2006–2099) that is 57 PgC larger than if a lower CO<sub>2</sub> fertilization effect comparable with current estimates is assumed. These findings suggest a larger beneficial role of the land carbon sink in modulating future excess anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> consistent with the target of the Paris Agreement to stay below 2°C warming, and underscore the importance of preserving terrestrial carbon sinks.</p>}},
author = {{Haverd, Vanessa and Smith, Benjamin and Canadell, Josep G. and Cuntz, Matthias and Mikaloff-Fletcher, Sara and Farquhar, Graham and Woodgate, William and Briggs, Peter R. and Trudinger, Cathy M.}},
issn = {{1354-1013}},
keywords = {{amplitude of seasonal cycle; carbonyl sulfide; CO fertilization; coordination of photosynthesis; gross primary production; land carbon sink}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{2390--2402}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Global Change Biology}},
title = {{Higher than expected CO<sub>2</sub> fertilization inferred from leaf to global observations}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14950}},
doi = {{10.1111/gcb.14950}},
volume = {{26}},
year = {{2020}},
}