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Transforming, Genome Editing and Phenotyping the Nitrogen-fixing Tropical Cannabaceae Tree Parasponia andersonii
Published on: August 18, 2019
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Nitrogen-fixing trees could exacerbate climate change under elevated nitrogen deposition.
Sian Kou-Giesbrecht1, Duncan Menge2
1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA. sk4220@columbia.edu.
Nature Communications
|April 4, 2019
Summary
Biological nitrogen fixation in trees can help sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) but also release nitrous oxide (N2O). This study suggests nitrogen-fixing trees may worsen climate change, impacting future climate models.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Science
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by trees sequesters atmospheric CO2.
- BNF can also increase soil emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas.
- The net climate impact of BNF in forests remains uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the climate impact of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing trees.
- To assess how nitrogen fixation strategies and deposition influence climate change.
- To compare the climate effects of nitrogen-fixing versus non-fixing trees.
Main Methods:
- Development of a theoretical model.
- Simulation of nitrogen fixation strategies under varying nitrogen deposition.
- Quantification of radiative forcing from CO2 sequestration and N2O emissions.
Main Results:
- Nitrogen-fixing trees can either mitigate or exacerbate climate change relative to non-fixing trees.
- Under projected 2030 nitrogen deposition, BNF trees could globally worsen climate change by 0.77 Pg C yr-1 (radiative equivalent).
- This effect is highly uncertain but significant, highlighting the need for further research.
Conclusions:
- The climate impact of BNF in forests is complex and depends on ecological strategies and environmental conditions.
- Forests' role in climate change mitigation may be overestimated if BNF is not accurately represented in models.
- Improved modeling of BNF is crucial for refining climate change projections.
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