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Recent pause in the growth rate of atmospheric CO2 due to enhanced terrestrial carbon uptake

Author

Listed:
  • Trevor F Keenan

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
    Macquarie University)

  • I. Colin Prentice

    (Macquarie University
    Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus)

  • Josep G Canadell

    (Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere)

  • Christopher A Williams

    (Graduate School of Geography, Clark University)

  • Han Wang

    (Macquarie University
    State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, College of Forestry, Northwest A & F University)

  • Michael Raupach

    (Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere)

  • G. James Collatz

    (Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Abstract

Terrestrial ecosystems play a significant role in the global carbon cycle and offset a large fraction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The terrestrial carbon sink is increasing, yet the mechanisms responsible for its enhancement, and implications for the growth rate of atmospheric CO2, remain unclear. Here using global carbon budget estimates, ground, atmospheric and satellite observations, and multiple global vegetation models, we report a recent pause in the growth rate of atmospheric CO2, and a decline in the fraction of anthropogenic emissions that remain in the atmosphere, despite increasing anthropogenic emissions. We attribute the observed decline to increases in the terrestrial sink during the past decade, associated with the effects of rising atmospheric CO2 on vegetation and the slowdown in the rate of warming on global respiration. The pause in the atmospheric CO2 growth rate provides further evidence of the roles of CO2 fertilization and warming-induced respiration, and highlights the need to protect both existing carbon stocks and regions, where the sink is growing rapidly.

Suggested Citation

  • Trevor F Keenan & I. Colin Prentice & Josep G Canadell & Christopher A Williams & Han Wang & Michael Raupach & G. James Collatz, 2016. "Recent pause in the growth rate of atmospheric CO2 due to enhanced terrestrial carbon uptake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13428
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13428
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    Cited by:

    1. Mikkel Bennedsen & Eric Hillebrand & Siem Jan Koopman, 2024. "A regression-based approach to the CO2 airborne fraction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Masutomi, Yuji, 2023. "The appropriate analytical solution for coupled leaf photosynthesis and stomatal conductance models for C3 plants," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 481(C).
    3. Mirindi Eric Dusenge & Jeffrey M. Warren & Peter B. Reich & Eric J. Ward & Bridget K. Murphy & Artur Stefanski & Raimundo Bermudez & Marisol Cruz & David A. McLennan & Anthony W. King & Rebecca A. Mon, 2023. "Boreal conifers maintain carbon uptake with warming despite failure to track optimal temperatures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Dymond, Caren Christine & Giles-Hansen, Krysta & Asante, Patrick, 2020. "The forest mitigation-adaptation nexus: Economic benefits of novel planting regimes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    5. Xiaomin Guo & Chuanglin Fang, 2021. "Integrated Land Use Change Related Carbon Source/Sink Examination in Jiangsu Province," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, November.
    6. Maoyuan Feng & Shushi Peng & Yilong Wang & Philippe Ciais & Daniel S. Goll & Jinfeng Chang & Yunting Fang & Benjamin Z. Houlton & Gang Liu & Yan Sun & Yi Xi, 2023. "Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Xingbo Yin, 2022. "The influence of urbanization on vegetation carbon pools under a tele-coupling framework in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 4046-4063, March.
    8. Zefeng Chen & Weiguang Wang & Giovanni Forzieri & Alessandro Cescatti, 2024. "Transition from positive to negative indirect CO2 effects on the vegetation carbon uptake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.

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