Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2

Anthony P. Walker; Martin G De Kauwe; Ana Bastos; Soumaya Belmecheri; Katerina Georgiou; Ralph F. Keeling; Sean M. McMahon; Belinda E. Medlyn; David J P Moore; Richard J. Norby; Sönke Zaehle; Kristina J. Anderson-Teixeira; Giovanna Battipaglia; Roel J W Brienen; Kristine G Cabugao; Maxime Cailleret; Elliott Campbell; Josep G Canadell; Philippe Ciais; Matthew E Craig; David S Ellsworth; Graham D Farquhar; Simone Fatichi; Joshua B. Fisher; David C Frank; Heather Graven; Lianhong Gu; Vanessa Haverd; Kelly A Heilman; Martin Heimann; Bruce A Hungate; Colleen M. Iverson; Fortunat Joos; Mingkai Jiang; Trevor F. Keenan; Jurgen Knauer; Christian Korner; Victor O Leshyk; Sebastian Leuzinger; Yao Liu; Natasha MacBean; Yadvinder Malhi; Tim R McVicar; Josep Penuelas; Julia Pongratz; A Shafer Powell; Terhi Riutta; Manon E B Sabot; Juergen Schleucher; Stephen Sitch; William K. Smith; Benjamin N. Sulman; Benton Taylor; Cesar Terrer; Margaret S. Torn; Kathleen K Treseder; Anna T Trugman; Susan E. Trumbore; Phillip J. van Mantgem; Steve L Voelker; Mary E Whelan; Peiter A Zuidema.

doi:10.1111/nph.16866

Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2

New Phytologist

By: Anthony P. Walker, Martin G De Kauwe, Ana Bastos, Soumaya Belmecheri, Katerina Georgiou, Ralph F. Keeling, Sean M. McMahon, Belinda E. Medlyn, David J P Moore, Richard J. Norby, Sönke Zaehle, Kristina J. Anderson-Teixeira, Giovanna Battipaglia, Roel J W Brienen, Kristine G Cabugao, Maxime Cailleret, Elliott Campbell, Josep G Canadell, Philippe Ciais, Matthew E Craig, David S Ellsworth, Graham D Farquhar, Simone Fatichi, Joshua B. Fisher, David C Frank, Heather Graven, Lianhong Gu, Vanessa Haverd, Kelly A Heilman, Martin Heimann, Bruce A Hungate, Colleen M. Iverson, Fortunat Joos, Mingkai Jiang, Trevor F. Keenan, Jurgen Knauer, Christian Korner, Victor O Leshyk, Sebastian Leuzinger, Yao Liu, Natasha MacBean, Yadvinder Malhi, Tim R McVicar, Josep Penuelas, Julia Pongratz, A Shafer Powell, Terhi Riutta, Manon E B Sabot, Juergen Schleucher, Stephen Sitch, William K. Smith, Benjamin N. Sulman, Benton Taylor, Cesar Terrer, Margaret S. Torn, Kathleen K Treseder, Anna T Trugman, Susan E. Trumbore, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Steve L Voelker, Mary E Whelan, and Peiter A Zuidema.

https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16866

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Abstract

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) is increasing, which increases leaf‐scale photosynthesis and intrinsic water‐use efficiency. These direct responses have the potential to increase plant growth, vegetation biomass, and soil organic matter; transferring carbon from the atmosphere into terrestrial ecosystems (a carbon sink). A substantial global terrestrial carbon sink would slow the rate of [CO₂] increase and thus climate change. However, ecosystem CO₂ responses are complex or confounded by concurrent changes in multiple agents of global change and evidence for a [CO₂]‐driven terrestrial carbon sink can appear contradictory. Here we synthesize theory and broad, multidisciplinary evidence for the effects of increasing [CO₂] (iCO₂) on the global terrestrial carbon sink. Evidence suggests a substantial increase in global photosynthesis since pre‐industrial times. Established theory, supported by experiments, indicates that iCO₂ is likely responsible for about half of the increase. Global carbon budgeting, atmospheric data, and forest inventories indicate a historical carbon sink, and these apparent iCO₂ responses are high in comparison to experiments and predictions from theory. Plant mortality and soil carbon iCO₂ responses are highly uncertain. In conclusion, a range of evidence supports a positive terrestrial carbon sink in response to iCO₂, albeit with uncertain magnitude and strong suggestion of a role for additional agents of global change.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2
Series title	New Phytologist
DOI	10.1111/nph.16866
Volume	229
Issue	5
Year Published	2021
Language	English
Publisher	New Phytologist Foundation
Contributing office(s)	Western Ecological Research Center
Description	33 p.
First page	2413
Last page	2445
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page