Role contribution of biological nitrogen fixation to future terrestrial net land carbon accumulation under warming condition at centennial scale. (20th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Jing; Dan, Li; Wang, Ying-Ping; Tang, Xiba; Yang, Xiujing; Yang, Fuqiang; Lu, Xingjie; Pak, Bernard
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 202(2018)
• Page Start: 1158
• Page End: 1166
• Publication Date: 2018-11-20
• Subjects: Biological nitrogen fixation -- Net land C accumulation -- Climate change -- Atmospheric CO2 concentration -- Atmospheric nitrogen deposition; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.089
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Future changes in net land carbon (C) accumulation in the terrestrial ecosystem remain highly uncertain. This uncertainty is mainly due to nitrogen (N) availability not being included in model simulations. N availability is ultimately determined by the balance of N inputs and outputs for the terrestrial ecosystem. Here, as the largest N input pathway, the influence of biological N fixation (BNF) combined with increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ) concentration, climate change, and atmospheric N deposition on future terrestrial C sequestration is investigated to the year 2100 using the Community Atmosphere–Biosphere–Land Exchange (CABLE) global land surface model. Projections show a net land C accumulation increase of ∼20% by 2100 for the terrestrial ecosystem, relative to the pre-industrial (1901–1910) level. BNF will increase terrestrial C sequestration by ∼104 Pg C by the end of this century, accounting for ∼28% of the total increase in net land C accumulation due to increasing CO2, climate change, BNF, and atmospheric N deposition. Therefore, the findings highlight the fundamental importance of BNF in determining the size of future net terrestrial C accumulation, although there are still unresolved questions regarding BNF and its role in forecasting climate change. Furthermore, a climate warming-induced increase in soil N mineralization of ∼431 Tg N per °C is estimated, resulting in increased N uptake (∼17 Tg N yr −1 ) from soil to vegetation by the end of this century, relative to the pre-industrial period, which could offset soil carbon loss due to warming. This highlights the effect of warming-induced N mineralization on land net C accumulation. Thus, BNF variations and warming-stimulated soil mineralization should be included in model simulations of land C carbon sequestration to prevent the effect of N limitation on land C loss being overestimated. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Projections show an ∼20% increase in net land C accumulation by 2100 relative to the pre-industrial level. Biological N fixation contributes up to ∼28% of the increase in net land C accumulation by the end of this century relative to the pre-industrial level.