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Vegetation Pattern and Terrestrial Carbon Variation in Past Warm and Cold Climates

Lu, Zhengyao LU ; Miller, Paul LU ; Zhang, Qiong ; Wårlind, David LU orcid ; Nieradzik, Lars LU orcid ; Sjolte, Jesper LU orcid ; Li, Qiang and Smith, Benjamin LU (2019) In Geophysical Research Letters 46(14). p.8133-8143
Abstract
Understanding the transition of biosphere‐atmosphere carbon exchange between glacial and interglacial climates can constrain uncertainties in its future projections. Using an individual‐based dynamic vegetation model, we simulate vegetation distribution and terrestrial carbon cycling in past cold and warm climates and elucidate the forcing effects of temperature, precipitation, atmospheric CO2 concentration (pCO2), and landmass. Results are consistent with proxy reconstructions and reveal that the vegetation extent is mainly determined by temperature anomalies, especially in a cold climate, while precipitation forcing effects on global‐scale vegetation patterns are marginal. The pCO2 change controls the global carbon balance with the... (More)
Understanding the transition of biosphere‐atmosphere carbon exchange between glacial and interglacial climates can constrain uncertainties in its future projections. Using an individual‐based dynamic vegetation model, we simulate vegetation distribution and terrestrial carbon cycling in past cold and warm climates and elucidate the forcing effects of temperature, precipitation, atmospheric CO2 concentration (pCO2), and landmass. Results are consistent with proxy reconstructions and reveal that the vegetation extent is mainly determined by temperature anomalies, especially in a cold climate, while precipitation forcing effects on global‐scale vegetation patterns are marginal. The pCO2 change controls the global carbon balance with the fertilization effect of higher pCO2 linking to higher vegetation coverage, an enhanced terrestrial carbon sink, and increased terrestrial carbon storage. Our results indicate carbon transfer from ocean and permafrost/peat to the biosphere and atmosphere and highlight the importance of forest expansion as a driver of terrestrial ecosystem carbon stock from cold to warm climates. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Geophysical Research Letters
volume
46
issue
14
pages
11 pages
publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85070851199
ISSN
1944-8007
DOI
10.1029/2019GL083729
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9f7c6720-f7fa-46bb-b028-525652ed20ec
date added to LUP
2019-08-21 13:29:52
date last changed
2023-09-23 12:42:43
@article{9f7c6720-f7fa-46bb-b028-525652ed20ec,
  abstract     = {{Understanding the transition of biosphere‐atmosphere carbon exchange between glacial and interglacial climates can constrain uncertainties in its future projections. Using an individual‐based dynamic vegetation model, we simulate vegetation distribution and terrestrial carbon cycling in past cold and warm climates and elucidate the forcing effects of temperature, precipitation, atmospheric CO2 concentration (pCO2), and landmass. Results are consistent with proxy reconstructions and reveal that the vegetation extent is mainly determined by temperature anomalies, especially in a cold climate, while precipitation forcing effects on global‐scale vegetation patterns are marginal. The pCO2 change controls the global carbon balance with the fertilization effect of higher pCO2 linking to higher vegetation coverage, an enhanced terrestrial carbon sink, and increased terrestrial carbon storage. Our results indicate carbon transfer from ocean and permafrost/peat to the biosphere and atmosphere and highlight the importance of forest expansion as a driver of terrestrial ecosystem carbon stock from cold to warm climates.}},
  author       = {{Lu, Zhengyao and Miller, Paul and Zhang, Qiong and Wårlind, David and Nieradzik, Lars and Sjolte, Jesper and Li, Qiang and Smith, Benjamin}},
  issn         = {{1944-8007}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{14}},
  pages        = {{8133--8143}},
  publisher    = {{American Geophysical Union (AGU)}},
  series       = {{Geophysical Research Letters}},
  title        = {{Vegetation Pattern and Terrestrial Carbon Variation in Past Warm and Cold Climates}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083729}},
  doi          = {{10.1029/2019GL083729}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}