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Nitrogen and phosphorus constrain the CO2 fertilization of global plant biomas

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Terrer et al 2019. nitrogen and phosphorus.docxAccepted version2.18 MBMicrosoft WordView/Open
Title: Nitrogen and phosphorus constrain the CO2 fertilization of global plant biomas
Authors: Terrer, C
Prentice, I
Jackson, R
Keenan, T
Kaiser, C
Vicca, S
Fisher, J
Reich, P
Stocker, B
Hungate, B
Penuelos, J
McCallum, I
Soudzilovskala, N
Cernusak, L
Talhelm, A
Van Sundert, K
Piao, S
Newton, P
Hovenden, M
Blumenthal, D
Liu, Y
Muller, C
Winter, K
Field, C
Viechtbauer, W
Van Lussa, C
Hoosbeek, M
Watanabe, M
Koike, T
Leshyk, V
Polley, W
Franklin, O
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: Elevated CO2 (eCO2) experiments provide critical information to quantify the effects of rising CO2 on vegetation. Many eCO2 experiments suggest that nutrient limitations modulate the local magnitude of the eCO2 effect on plant biomass, but the global extent of these limitations has not been empirically quantified, complicating projections of the capacity of plants to take up CO2. Here, we present the first data-driven global quantification of the eCO2 effect on biomass based on 138 eCO2 experiments. The strength of CO2 fertilization is primarily driven by nitrogen (N) in ~65% of global vegetation, and by phosphorus (P) in ~25% of global vegetation, with N- or P-limitation modulated by mycorrhizal association. Our approach suggests that CO2 levels expected by 2100 can potentially enhance plant biomass by 12±3% above current values, equivalent to 59±13 PgC. The global-scale response to eCO2 we derive from experiments is similar to past changes in greenness9 and biomass10 with rising CO2, suggesting that CO2 will continue to stimulate plant biomass in the future despite the constraining effect of soil nutrients. Our research reconciles conflicting evidence on CO2 fertilization across scales and provides an empirical estimate of the biomass sensitivity to eCO2 that may help to constrain climate projections.
Issue Date: 12-Aug-2019
Date of Acceptance: 4-Jul-2019
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/71869
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0545-2
ISSN: 1758-678X
Publisher: Nature Research
Start Page: 684
End Page: 689
Journal / Book Title: Nature Climate Change
Volume: 9
Copyright Statement: © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited
Sponsor/Funder: AXA Research Fund
Commission of the European Communities
Funder's Grant Number: AXA Chair Programme in Biosphere and Climate Impacts
787203
Keywords: Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Physical Sciences
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Studies
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
ELEVATED CO2
FOREST PRODUCTIVITY
ATMOSPHERIC CO2
MOJAVE DESERT
CARBON
RESPONSES
METAANALYSIS
CLIMATE
GROWTH
ENHANCEMENT
0401 Atmospheric Sciences
0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
0502 Environmental Science and Management
Publication Status: Published
Online Publication Date: 2019-08-12
Appears in Collections:Department of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences