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Contrasting physiological and structural vegetation feedbacks in climate change simulations

Author

Listed:
  • Richard A. Betts
  • Peter M. Cox

    (*Hadley Centre, Meteorological Office)

  • Susan E. Lee

    (University of Sheffield)

  • F. Ian Woodward

    (University of Sheffield)

Abstract

Anthropogenic increases in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are predicted to cause a warming of the global climate by modifying radiative forcing1. Carbon dioxide concentration increases may make a further contribution to warming by inducing a physiological response of the global vegetation—a reduced stomatal conductance, which suppresses transpiration2. Moreover, a CO2-enriched atmosphere and the corresponding change in climate may also alter the density of vegetation cover, thus modifying the physicalcharacteristics of the land surface to provide yet another climate feedback3,4,5,6. But such feedbacks from changes in vegetation structure have not yet been incorporated into general circulation model predictions of future climate change. Here we use a general circulation model iteratively coupled to an equilibrium vegetation model to quantify the effects of both physiological and structural vegetation feedbacks on a doubled-CO2 climate. On a global scale, changes in vegetation structure are found to partially offset physiological vegetation–climate feedbacks in the long term, but overall vegetation feedbacks provide significant regional-scale effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard A. Betts & Peter M. Cox & Susan E. Lee & F. Ian Woodward, 1997. "Contrasting physiological and structural vegetation feedbacks in climate change simulations," Nature, Nature, vol. 387(6635), pages 796-799, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:387:y:1997:i:6635:d:10.1038_42924
    DOI: 10.1038/42924
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuan, Xin & Jiao, Liang & Che, Xichen & Wu, Jingjing & Zhu, Xuli & Li, Qian, 2024. "Study on the water-carbon coupling coordination function on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 487(C).
    2. Yiping Wu & Shuguang Liu & Omar Abdul-Aziz, 2012. "Hydrological effects of the increased CO 2 and climate change in the Upper Mississippi River Basin using a modified SWAT," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 977-1003, February.
    3. Zhan Chen & Yihao Wang & Ruisi Chen & Xiuya Ni & Jixin Cao, 2022. "Effects of Forest Type on Nutrient Fluxes in Throughfall, Stemflow, and Litter Leachate within Acid-Polluted Locations in Southwest China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, February.

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