IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-54926-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Global lake phytoplankton proliferation intensifies climate warming

Author

Listed:
  • Wenqing Shi

    (Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology)

  • Boqiang Qin

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qingji Zhang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Hans W. Paerl

    (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)

  • Bryce Dam

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon)

  • Erik Jeppesen

    (Aarhus University
    Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research
    Middle East Technical University
    Middle East Technical University)

  • Chenjun Zeng

    (Guangdong Research Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower)

Abstract

In lakes, phytoplankton sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and store it in the form of biomass organic carbon (OC); however, only a small fraction of the OC remains buried, while the remaining part is recycled to the atmosphere as CO2 and methane (CH4). This has the potential effect of adding CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq) to the atmosphere and producing a warming effect due to the higher radiative forcing of CH4 relative to CO2. Here we show a 3.1-fold increase in CO2-eq emissions over a 100-year horizon, with the effect increasing with global warming intensity. Climate warming has stimulated phytoplankton growth in many lakes worldwide, which, in turn, can feed back CO2-eq and create a positive feedback loop between them. In lakes where phytoplankton is negatively impacted by climate warming, the CO2-eq feedback capacity may diminish gradually with the ongoing climate warming.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenqing Shi & Boqiang Qin & Qingji Zhang & Hans W. Paerl & Bryce Dam & Erik Jeppesen & Chenjun Zeng, 2024. "Global lake phytoplankton proliferation intensifies climate warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-6, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-54926-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54926-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-54926-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-54926-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cristian Gudasz & David Bastviken & Kristin Steger & Katrin Premke & Sebastian Sobek & Lars J. Tranvik, 2010. "Temperature-controlled organic carbon mineralization in lake sediments," Nature, Nature, vol. 466(7305), pages 478-481, July.
    2. Thomas A. Davidson & Joachim Audet & Erik Jeppesen & Frank Landkildehus & Torben L. Lauridsen & Martin Søndergaard & Jari Syväranta, 2018. "Synergy between nutrients and warming enhances methane ebullition from experimental lakes," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 156-160, February.
    3. Jan Karlsson & Pär Byström & Jenny Ask & Per Ask & Lennart Persson & Mats Jansson, 2009. "Light limitation of nutrient-poor lake ecosystems," Nature, Nature, vol. 460(7254), pages 506-509, July.
    4. Jake J. Beaulieu & Tonya DelSontro & John A. Downing, 2019. "Eutrophication will increase methane emissions from lakes and impoundments during the 21st century," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-5, December.
    5. Bo Fu & Thomas Gasser & Bengang Li & Shu Tao & Philippe Ciais & Shilong Piao & Yves Balkanski & Wei Li & Tianya Yin & Luchao Han & Xinyue Li & Yunman Han & Jie An & Siyuan Peng & Jing Xu, 2020. "Short-lived climate forcers have long-term climate impacts via the carbon–climate feedback," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(9), pages 851-855, September.
    6. McCullough, Ian M. & Dugan, Hilary A. & Farrell, Kaitlin J. & Morales-Williams, Ana M. & Ouyang, Zutao & Roberts, Derek & Scordo, Facundo & Bartlett, Sarah L. & Burke, Samantha M. & Doubek, Jonathan P, 2018. "Dynamic modeling of organic carbon fates in lake ecosystems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 386(C), pages 71-82.
    7. Clayton D. Elder & Xiaomei Xu & Jennifer Walker & Jordan L. Schnell & Kenneth M. Hinkel & Amy Townsend-Small & Christopher D. Arp & John W. Pohlman & Benjamin V. Gaglioti & Claudia I. Czimczik, 2018. "Greenhouse gas emissions from diverse Arctic Alaskan lakes are dominated by young carbon," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 166-171, February.
    8. Jeff C. Ho & Anna M. Michalak & Nima Pahlevan, 2019. "Widespread global increase in intense lake phytoplankton blooms since the 1980s," Nature, Nature, vol. 574(7780), pages 667-670, October.
    9. H. Marotta & L. Pinho & C. Gudasz & D. Bastviken & L. J. Tranvik & A. Enrich-Prast, 2014. "Greenhouse gas production in low-latitude lake sediments responds strongly to warming," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 4(6), pages 467-470, June.
    10. Cristian Gudasz & David Bastviken & Kristin Steger & Katrin Premke & Sebastian Sobek & Lars J. Tranvik, 2010. "Erratum: Temperature-controlled organic carbon mineralization in lake sediments," Nature, Nature, vol. 466(7310), pages 1134-1134, August.
    11. Monika Winder, 2012. "Lake warming mimics fertilization," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(11), pages 771-772, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Philipp Emanuel Hirsch & Moritz Schillinger & Katharina Appoloni & Patricia Burkhardt-Holm & Hannes Weigt, 2016. "Integrating Economic and Ecological Benchmarking for a Sustainable Development of Hydropower," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Nobre, Regina & Boulêtreau, Stéphanie & Colas, Fanny & Azemar, Frederic & Tudesque, Loïc & Parthuisot, Nathalie & Favriou, Pierre & Cucherousset, Julien, 2023. "Potential ecological impacts of floating photovoltaics on lake biodiversity and ecosystem functioning," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Shengfang Zhou & Hao Long & Weizhe Chen & Chunjing Qiu & Can Zhang & Hang Xing & Jingran Zhang & Liangqing Cheng & Cheng Zhao & Jun Cheng & Philippe Ciais, 2025. "Temperature seasonality regulates organic carbon burial in lake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Ang Hu & Kyoung-Soon Jang & Andrew J. Tanentzap & Wenqian Zhao & Jay T. Lennon & Jinfu Liu & Mingjia Li & James Stegen & Mira Choi & Yahai Lu & Xiaojuan Feng & Jianjun Wang, 2024. "Thermal responses of dissolved organic matter under global change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Ulrike Gabriele Kobler & Alfred Wüest & Martin Schmid, 2019. "Combined effects of pumped-storage operation and climate change on thermal structure and water quality," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 413-429, March.
    6. Li, Mingxu & He, Nianpeng, 2022. "Carbon intensity of global existing and future hydropower reservoirs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    7. Qibiao Yu & Fang Wang & Weijin Yan & Fengsong Zhang & Shucong Lv & Yanqiang Li, 2018. "Carbon and Nitrogen Burial and Response to Climate Change and Anthropogenic Disturbance in Chaohu Lake, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, December.
    8. Bo Qin & Rong Wang & Xiangdong Yang & Qinghui Zhang & Jianan Zheng, 2023. "Reconstruction and Trends of Total Phosphorus in Shallow Lakes in Eastern China in The Past Century," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-15, July.
    9. repec:ags:aaea22:335506 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Yue He & Shilong Piao & Philippe Ciais & Hao Xu & Thomas Gasser, 2024. "Future land carbon removals in China consistent with national inventory," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    11. Alexander E. Cagle & Alona Armstrong & Giles Exley & Steven M. Grodsky & Jordan Macknick & John Sherwin & Rebecca R. Hernandez, 2020. "The Land Sparing, Water Surface Use Efficiency, and Water Surface Transformation of Floating Photovoltaic Solar Energy Installations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, October.
    12. Yang Ou & Christopher Roney & Jameel Alsalam & Katherine Calvin & Jared Creason & Jae Edmonds & Allen A. Fawcett & Page Kyle & Kanishka Narayan & Patrick O’Rourke & Pralit Patel & Shaun Ragnauth & Ste, 2021. "Deep mitigation of CO2 and non-CO2 greenhouse gases toward 1.5 °C and 2 °C futures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    13. Akomeah, Eric & Lindenschmidt, Karl-Erich & Chapra, Steven C., 2019. "Comparison of aquatic ecosystem functioning between eutrophic and hypereutrophic cold-region river-lake systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 393(C), pages 25-36.
    14. Aparicio, Genoveva & Camacho, Maximo & Maté-Sánchez-Val, Mariluz, 2024. "Quantifying the impact: Are coastal areas impoverished by marine pollution?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    15. Longhui Li & Yue Zhang & Tianjun Zhou & Kaicun Wang & Can Wang & Tao Wang & Linwang Yuan & Kangxin An & Chenghu Zhou & Guonian Lü, 2022. "Mitigation of China’s carbon neutrality to global warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    16. Kuwayama, Yusuke & Olmstead, Sheila & Zheng, Jiameng, 2022. "A more comprehensive estimate of the value of water quality," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    17. Changchun Peng & Zhijun Xie & Xing Jin, 2024. "Using Ensemble Learning for Remote Sensing Inversion of Water Quality Parameters in Poyang Lake," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-19, April.
    18. McDonald, C.P. & Bennington, V. & Urban, N.R. & McKinley, G.A., 2012. "1-D test-bed calibration of a 3-D Lake Superior biogeochemical model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 115-126.
    19. Zhixu Wu & Yunlin Zhang & Yongqiang Zhou & Mingliang Liu & Kun Shi & Zuoming Yu, 2015. "Seasonal-Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Variation of Transparency in Xin’anjiang Reservoir: Implications for Reservoir Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.
    20. Konstantinos Metaxoglou & Aaron Smith, 2022. "Nutrient Pollution and US Agriculture: Causal Effects, Integrated Assessment, and Implications of Climate Change," NBER Chapters, in: American Agriculture, Water Resources, and Climate Change, pages 297-341, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Ratté-Fortin, Claudie & Chokmani, Karem & El Alem, Anas & Laurion, Isabelle, 2022. "A regional model to predict the occurrence of natural events: Application to phytoplankton blooms in continental waterbodies," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 473(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-54926-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.