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Nitrogen and water availability control plant carbon storage with warming
Guiyao Zhou1, Cesar Terrer2, An Huang3
1Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
The Science of the Total Environment
|August 25, 2022
Summary
Climate warming boosts plant biomass, increasing the land carbon sink. However, this effect is controlled by soil nitrogen and water availability, influencing plant carbon storage globally.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Science
- Plant Biology
Background:
- Plants play a crucial role in regulating global climate by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis, thus influencing the terrestrial carbon (C) sink.
- Understanding how climate warming impacts plant carbon storage is vital for accurate climate change projections, yet current knowledge remains limited.
- Global warming's effects on plant biomass and carbon storage are complex and influenced by various environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the global patterns of plant carbon storage responses to climate warming.
- To identify the key environmental drivers influencing plant carbon storage under warming conditions.
- To reduce uncertainties in climate projections by clarifying the impact of warming on the terrestrial carbon sink.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, synthesizing data from 393 observations across 99 different warming studies worldwide.
- Statistical analyses were employed to examine global patterns of plant biomass changes in response to experimental warming.
- The influence of soil properties, such as nitrogen and water availability, and ecosystem characteristics (humidity) on warming effects were assessed.
Main Results:
- Experimental warming led to significant increases in total biomass (+8.4%), aboveground biomass (+12.6%), and belowground biomass (+10.1%).
- The availability of soil nitrogen and water were identified as primary drivers modulating the response of plant biomass to warming.
- Plant biomass responses to warming were positively correlated with soil C:N ratio (indicating nitrogen availability) and were more pronounced in humid ecosystems.
Conclusions:
- Climate warming generally enhances plant biomass and the terrestrial carbon sink, particularly in nitrogen-limited environments.
- Water availability acts as a limiting factor, with warming potentially reducing plant growth in dry ecosystems.
- The study highlights the dual control of nitrogen and water on plant carbon storage responses to climate warming, underscoring the complexity of ecosystem feedback in a changing climate.
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