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Greening of the Earth and its drivers

Author

Listed:
  • Zaichun Zhu

    (Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Shilong Piao

    (Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Ranga B. Myneni

    (Boston University)

  • Mengtian Huang

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Zhenzhong Zeng

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Josep G. Canadell

    (Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere)

  • Philippe Ciais

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University
    Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE), CEA CNRS UVSQ)

  • Stephen Sitch

    (College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter)

  • Pierre Friedlingstein

    (College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter)

  • Almut Arneth

    (Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

  • Chunxiang Cao

    (State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Lei Cheng

    (CSIRO Land and Water)

  • Etsushi Kato

    (Institute of Applied Energy (IAE))

  • Charles Koven

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab)

  • Yue Li

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Xu Lian

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Yongwen Liu

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Ronggao Liu

    (LREIS, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jiafu Mao

    (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

  • Yaozhong Pan

    (College of Resources Science & Technology, State Key Laboratory of Earth Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University)

  • Shushi Peng

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Josep Peñuelas

    (CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB
    CREAF)

  • Benjamin Poulter

    (Montana State University)

  • Thomas A. M. Pugh

    (Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
    School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham)

  • Benjamin D. Stocker

    (Imperial College London
    Climate and Environmental Physics, and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern)

  • Nicolas Viovy

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE), CEA CNRS UVSQ)

  • Xuhui Wang

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Yingping Wang

    (CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere)

  • Zhiqiang Xiao

    (State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, School of Geography, Beijing Normal University)

  • Hui Yang

    (Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University)

  • Sönke Zaehle

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie)

  • Ning Zeng

    (University of Maryland)

Abstract

Satellite records combined with global ecosystem models show a persistent and widespread greening over 25–50% of the global vegetated area; less than 4% of the globe is browning. CO2 fertilization explains 70% of the observed greening trend.

Suggested Citation

  • Zaichun Zhu & Shilong Piao & Ranga B. Myneni & Mengtian Huang & Zhenzhong Zeng & Josep G. Canadell & Philippe Ciais & Stephen Sitch & Pierre Friedlingstein & Almut Arneth & Chunxiang Cao & Lei Cheng &, 2016. "Greening of the Earth and its drivers," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 791-795, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:6:y:2016:i:8:d:10.1038_nclimate3004
    DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3004
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Julia Noë & Karl-Heinz Erb & Sarah Matej & Andreas Magerl & Manan Bhan & Simone Gingrich, 2021. "Altered growth conditions more than reforestation counteracted forest biomass carbon emissions 1990–2020," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Liu, Jingming & Chen, Haibin & Hou, Xianhui & Zhang, Daojun & Zhang, Hui, 2021. "Time to adopt a context-specific and market-based compensation scheme for a new round of the Grain for Green Program," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    3. James Weber & Scott Archer-Nicholls & Nathan Luke Abraham & Youngsub Matthew Shin & Paul Griffiths & Daniel P. Grosvenor & Catherine E. Scott & Alex T. Archibald, 2022. "Chemistry-driven changes strongly influence climate forcing from vegetation emissions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Andreas Koutsodendris & Vasilis Dakos & William J. Fletcher & Maria Knipping & Ulrich Kotthoff & Alice M. Milner & Ulrich C. Müller & Stefanie Kaboth-Bahr & Oliver A. Kern & Laurin Kolb & Polina Vakhr, 2023. "Atmospheric CO2 forcing on Mediterranean biomes during the past 500 kyrs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Lo, Yueh-Hsin & Blanco, Juan A. & González de Andrés, Ester & Imbert, J. Bosco & Castillo, Federico J., 2019. "CO2 fertilization plays a minor role in long-term carbon accumulation patterns in temperate pine forests in the southwestern Pyrenees," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 407(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Shengbiao Wu & Bin Chen & Chris Webster & Bing Xu & Peng Gong, 2023. "Improved human greenspace exposure equality during 21st century urbanization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Emmett, Kristen D. & Renwick, Katherine M. & Poulter, Benjamin, 2021. "Adapting a dynamic vegetation model for regional biomass, plant biogeography, and fire modeling in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Evaluating LPJ-GUESS-LMfireCF," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 440(C).
    8. Wenqing Li & Rubén D. Manzanedo & Yuan Jiang & Wenqiu Ma & Enzai Du & Shoudong Zhao & Tim Rademacher & Manyu Dong & Hui Xu & Xinyu Kang & Jun Wang & Fang Wu & Xuefeng Cui & Neil Pederson, 2023. "Reassessment of growth-climate relations indicates the potential for decline across Eurasian boreal larch forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Xu Lian & Sujong Jeong & Chang-Eui Park & Hao Xu & Laurent Z. X. Li & Tao Wang & Pierre Gentine & Josep Peñuelas & Shilong Piao, 2022. "Biophysical impacts of northern vegetation changes on seasonal warming patterns," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    10. Qin Wang & Qin Ju & Yueyang Wang & Quanxi Shao & Rongrong Zhang & Yanli Liu & Zhenchun Hao, 2022. "Vegetation Changing Patterns and Its Sensitivity to Climate Variability across Seven Major Watersheds in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, October.
    11. Yitao Li & Zhao-Liang Li & Hua Wu & Chenghu Zhou & Xiangyang Liu & Pei Leng & Peng Yang & Wenbin Wu & Ronglin Tang & Guo-Fei Shang & Lingling Ma, 2023. "Biophysical impacts of earth greening can substantially mitigate regional land surface temperature warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Chenglai Wu & Zhaohui Lin & Yaping Shao & Xiaohong Liu & Ying Li, 2022. "Drivers of recent decline in dust activity over East Asia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Wang, Lin & Zhao, Junsan & Lin, Yilin & Chen, Guoping, 2024. "Exploring ecological carbon sequestration advantage and economic responses in an ecological security pattern: A nature-based solutions perspective," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 488(C).
    14. Lukas Baumbach & Thomas Hickler & Rasoul Yousefpour & Marc Hanewinkel, 2023. "High economic costs of reduced carbon sinks and declining biome stability in Central American forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    15. Yu Zhang & Na Gong & Huade Zhu, 2023. "Vegetation Dynamics and Food Security against the Background of Ecological Restoration in Hubei Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-18, January.
    16. Liu, Zhengjia & Wang, Jieyong & Wang, Xiaoyue & Wang, Yongsheng, 2020. "Understanding the impacts of ‘Grain for Green’ land management practice on land greening dynamics over the Loess Plateau of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    17. T. F. Keenan & X. Luo & B. D. Stocker & M. G. Kauwe & B. E. Medlyn & I. C. Prentice & N. G. Smith & C. Terrer & H. Wang & Y. Zhang & S. Zhou, 2023. "A constraint on historic growth in global photosynthesis due to rising CO2," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 13(12), pages 1376-1381, December.
    18. Feng, Dingrao & Bao, Wenkai & Yang, Yuanyuan & Fu, Meichen, 2021. "How do government policies promote greening? Evidence from China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    19. Kai Cheng & Haitao Yang & Shengli Tao & Yanjun Su & Hongcan Guan & Yu Ren & Tianyu Hu & Wenkai Li & Guangcai Xu & Mengxi Chen & Xiancheng Lu & Zekun Yang & Yanhong Tang & Keping Ma & Jingyun Fang & Qi, 2024. "Carbon storage through China’s planted forest expansion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    20. Abhijeet Mishra & Florian Humpenöder & Galina Churkina & Christopher P. O. Reyer & Felicitas Beier & Benjamin Leon Bodirsky & Hans Joachim Schellnhuber & Hermann Lotze-Campen & Alexander Popp, 2022. "Land use change and carbon emissions of a transformation to timber cities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    21. Xunming Wang & Quansheng Ge & Xin Geng & Zhaosheng Wang & Lei Gao & Brett A. Bryan & Shengqian Chen & Yanan Su & Diwen Cai & Jiansheng Ye & Jimin Sun & Huayu Lu & Huizheng Che & Hong Cheng & Hongyan L, 2023. "Unintended consequences of combating desertification in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    22. Yao Zhang & Pierre Gentine & Xiangzhong Luo & Xu Lian & Yanlan Liu & Sha Zhou & Anna M. Michalak & Wu Sun & Joshua B. Fisher & Shilong Piao & Trevor F. Keenan, 2022. "Increasing sensitivity of dryland vegetation greenness to precipitation due to rising atmospheric CO2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    23. Zhihua Liu & John S. Kimball & Ashley P. Ballantyne & Nicholas C. Parazoo & Wen J. Wang & Ana Bastos & Nima Madani & Susan M. Natali & Jennifer D. Watts & Brendan M. Rogers & Philippe Ciais & Kailiang, 2022. "Respiratory loss during late-growing season determines the net carbon dioxide sink in northern permafrost regions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    24. Xiongyi Zhang & Jia Ning, 2023. "Patterns, Trends, and Causes of Vegetation Change in the Three Rivers Headwaters Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, May.

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