CO 2 fertilization of terrestrial photosynthesis inferred from site to global scales
Abstract
Global photosynthesis is increasing with elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, a response known as the CO2 fertilization effect (CFE), but the key processes of CFE are not constrained and therefore remain uncertain. Here, we quantify CFE by combining observations from a globally distributed network of eddy covariance measurements with an analytical framework based on three well-established photosynthetic optimization theories. We report a strong enhancement of photosynthesis across the observational network (9.1 gC m–2 year–2) and show that the CFE is responsible for 44% of the gross primary production (GPP) enhancement since the 2000s, with additional contributions primarily from warming (28%). Soil moisture and specific humidity are the two largest contributors to GPP interannual variation through their influences on plant hydraulics. Applying our framework to satellite observations and meteorological reanalysis data, we diagnose a global CO2-induced GPP trend of 4.4 gC m–2 year–2, which is at least one-third stronger than the median trends of 13 dynamic global vegetation models and eight satellite-derived GPP products, mainly because of their differences in the magnitude of CFE in evergreen broadleaf forests. These results highlight the critical role that CFE has played in the global carbon cycle in recent decades.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
- Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1847994
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1885136
- Grant/Contract Number:
- RUBISCO; AC02-05CH11231; NNH17AE86I; 80NSSC21K1705
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Volume: 119 Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 0027-8424
- Publisher:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; CO2 fertilization effect; photosynthesis; GPP; optimization theory; carbon and water coupling
Citation Formats
Chen, Chi, Riley, William J., Prentice, I. Colin, and Keenan, Trevor F. CO 2 fertilization of terrestrial photosynthesis inferred from site to global scales. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1073/pnas.2115627119.
Chen, Chi, Riley, William J., Prentice, I. Colin, & Keenan, Trevor F. CO 2 fertilization of terrestrial photosynthesis inferred from site to global scales. United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115627119
Chen, Chi, Riley, William J., Prentice, I. Colin, and Keenan, Trevor F. Tue .
"CO 2 fertilization of terrestrial photosynthesis inferred from site to global scales". United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115627119.
@article{osti_1847994,
title = {CO 2 fertilization of terrestrial photosynthesis inferred from site to global scales},
author = {Chen, Chi and Riley, William J. and Prentice, I. Colin and Keenan, Trevor F.},
abstractNote = {Global photosynthesis is increasing with elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, a response known as the CO2 fertilization effect (CFE), but the key processes of CFE are not constrained and therefore remain uncertain. Here, we quantify CFE by combining observations from a globally distributed network of eddy covariance measurements with an analytical framework based on three well-established photosynthetic optimization theories. We report a strong enhancement of photosynthesis across the observational network (9.1 gC m–2 year–2) and show that the CFE is responsible for 44% of the gross primary production (GPP) enhancement since the 2000s, with additional contributions primarily from warming (28%). Soil moisture and specific humidity are the two largest contributors to GPP interannual variation through their influences on plant hydraulics. Applying our framework to satellite observations and meteorological reanalysis data, we diagnose a global CO2-induced GPP trend of 4.4 gC m–2 year–2, which is at least one-third stronger than the median trends of 13 dynamic global vegetation models and eight satellite-derived GPP products, mainly because of their differences in the magnitude of CFE in evergreen broadleaf forests. These results highlight the critical role that CFE has played in the global carbon cycle in recent decades.},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2115627119},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
number = 10,
volume = 119,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2022},
month = {Tue Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2022}
}
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