Open AccessPlant uptake of CO2outpaces losses from permafrost and plant respiration on the Tibetan Plateau
Author(s) -
Da Wei,
Yahui Qi,
Yaoming Ma,
Xufeng Wang,
Weiqiang Ma,
Tanguang Gao,
Lin Huang,
Hui Zhao,
Jianxin Zhang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2015283118
Subject(s) - permafrost , environmental science , plateau (mathematics) , eddy covariance , sink (geography) , carbon sink , atmospheric sciences , climate change , respiration , carbon cycle , carbon fibers , soil science , physical geography , ecology , ecosystem , geology , biology , botany , materials science , geography , mathematical analysis , mathematics , cartography , composite number , composite material
Significance Cold regions contain vast stores of permafrost carbon. Rapid warming will cause permafrost to thaw and plant respiration to accelerate, with a resultant loss of CO2 , but could also increase the fixation of CO2 by plants. A network of 32 eddy covariance sites on the Tibetan Plateau, which has the largest store of alpine permafrost carbon on Earth, shows that this region functions as a net CO2 sink. Our sensitivity analyses, experiments, and model simulations consistently showed that the fixation of CO2 by plants outpaces the loss of CO2 from permafrost and accelerates plant respiration. This indicates a plant-dominated CO2 balance on the Tibetan Plateau, which could provide a negative feedback to climate warming.