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Nonlinear grassland responses to past and future atmospheric CO2

Author

Listed:
  • Richard A. Gill

    (Duke University
    Washington State University)

  • H. Wayne Polley

    (USDA-ARS Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory)

  • Hyrum B. Johnson

    (USDA-ARS Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory)

  • Laurel J. Anderson

    (University of Texas
    Ohio Wesleyan University)

  • Hafiz Maherali

    (Duke University)

  • Robert B. Jackson

    (Duke University
    Duke University)

Abstract

Carbon sequestration in soil organic matter may moderate increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Ca) as Ca increases to more than 500?µmol?mol-1 this century from interglacial levels of less than 200?µmol?mol-1 (refs 1–6). However, such carbon storage depends on feedbacks between plant responses to Ca and nutrient availability7,8. Here we present evidence that soil carbon storage and nitrogen cycling in a grassland ecosystem are much more responsive to increases in past Ca than to those forecast for the coming century. Along a continuous gradient of 200 to 550?µmol?mol-1 (refs 9, 10), increased Ca promoted higher photosynthetic rates and altered plant tissue chemistry. Soil carbon was lost at subambient Ca, but was unchanged at elevated Ca where losses of old soil carbon offset increases in new carbon. Along the experimental gradient in Ca there was a nonlinear, threefold decrease in nitrogen availability. The differences in sensitivity of carbon storage to historical and future Ca and increased nutrient limitation suggest that the passive sequestration of carbon in soils may have been important historically, but the ability of soils to continue as sinks is limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard A. Gill & H. Wayne Polley & Hyrum B. Johnson & Laurel J. Anderson & Hafiz Maherali & Robert B. Jackson, 2002. "Nonlinear grassland responses to past and future atmospheric CO2," Nature, Nature, vol. 417(6886), pages 279-282, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:417:y:2002:i:6886:d:10.1038_417279a
    DOI: 10.1038/417279a
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    Cited by:

    1. Du Changwen & Zhou Jianmin & Keith W Goyne, 2012. "Organic and Inorganic Carbon in Paddy Soil as Evaluated by Mid-Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(8), pages 1-6, August.
    2. Kefi, Sonia & Rietkerk, Max & Katul, Gabriel G., 2008. "Vegetation pattern shift as a result of rising atmospheric CO2 in arid ecosystems," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 74(4), pages 332-344.
    3. Eric C. Brevik, 2013. "The Potential Impact of Climate Change on Soil Properties and Processes and Corresponding Influence on Food Security," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Fu, Lintao & Bo, Tianli & Du, Guozhen & Zheng, Xiaojing, 2012. "Modeling the responses of grassland vegetation coverage to grazing disturbance in an alpine meadow," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 247(C), pages 221-232.

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