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Terrestrial nitrogen feedbacks may accelerate future climate change
Author(s) -
Zaehle Sönke,
Friedlingstein Pierre,
Friend Andrew D.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2009gl041345
Subject(s) - terrestrial ecosystem , environmental science , radiative forcing , ecosystem , atmospheric sciences , climate change , nitrogen , forcing (mathematics) , land use, land use change and forestry , latitude , high latitude , global change , climatology , land use , ecology , chemistry , geography , biology , physics , geology , geodesy , organic chemistry
The effects of nitrogen (N) constraints on future terrestrial carbon (C) dynamics are investigated using the O‐CN land surface model. The model's responses to elevated [CO 2 ] and soil warming agree well with observations made in ecosystem manipulation studies. N dynamics reduce terrestrial C storage due to CO 2 fertilization over the period 1860–2100 by ∼50% (342 Pg C) mainly in mid‐high latitude ecosystems, compared to a simulation not accounting for N dynamics. Conversely, N dynamics reduce projected losses of land C due to increasing temperature by 16% (49 Pg C); however, this effect is prevalent only in mid‐high latitude ecosystems. Despite synergistic interactions, the balance of these opposing effects is a significant reduction in future net land C storage. Terrestrial N dynamics thereby consistently increase atmospheric [CO 2 ] in the year 2100 with a median value of 48 (41–55) ppmv, corresponding to an additional radiative forcing of 0.29 (0.28–0.34) W m −2 .