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Atmospheric dryness reduces photosynthesis along a large range of soil water deficits

Author

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  • Zheng Fu

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Philippe Ciais

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • I. Colin Prentice

    (Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
    Macquarie University
    Tsinghua University)

  • Pierre Gentine

    (Columbia University)

  • David Makowski

    (Unit Applied mathematics and computer science (UMR 518) INRAE AgroParisTech Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Ana Bastos

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Xiangzhong Luo

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Julia K. Green

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Paul C. Stoy

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Hui Yang

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Tomohiro Hajima

    (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)

Abstract

Both low soil water content (SWC) and high atmospheric dryness (vapor pressure deficit, VPD) can negatively affect terrestrial gross primary production (GPP). The sensitivity of GPP to soil versus atmospheric dryness is difficult to disentangle, however, because of their covariation. Using global eddy-covariance observations, here we show that a decrease in SWC is not universally associated with GPP reduction. GPP increases in response to decreasing SWC when SWC is high and decreases only when SWC is below a threshold. By contrast, the sensitivity of GPP to an increase of VPD is always negative across the full SWC range. We further find canopy conductance decreases with increasing VPD (irrespective of SWC), and with decreasing SWC on drier soils. Maximum photosynthetic assimilation rate has negative sensitivity to VPD, and a positive sensitivity to decreasing SWC when SWC is high. Earth System Models underestimate the negative effect of VPD and the positive effect of SWC on GPP such that they should underestimate the GPP reduction due to increasing VPD in future climates.

Suggested Citation

  • Zheng Fu & Philippe Ciais & I. Colin Prentice & Pierre Gentine & David Makowski & Ana Bastos & Xiangzhong Luo & Julia K. Green & Paul C. Stoy & Hui Yang & Tomohiro Hajima, 2022. "Atmospheric dryness reduces photosynthesis along a large range of soil water deficits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-28652-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28652-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Laibao Liu & Lukas Gudmundsson & Mathias Hauser & Dahe Qin & Shuangcheng Li & Sonia I. Seneviratne, 2020. "Soil moisture dominates dryness stress on ecosystem production globally," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Kimberly A. Novick & Darren L. Ficklin & Paul C. Stoy & Christopher A. Williams & Gil Bohrer & A. Christopher Oishi & Shirley A. Papuga & Peter D. Blanken & Asko Noormets & Benjamin N. Sulman & Russel, 2016. "The increasing importance of atmospheric demand for ecosystem water and carbon fluxes," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(11), pages 1023-1027, November.
    3. Markus Reichstein & Michael Bahn & Philippe Ciais & Dorothea Frank & Miguel D. Mahecha & Sonia I. Seneviratne & Jakob Zscheischler & Christian Beer & Nina Buchmann & David C. Frank & Dario Papale & An, 2013. "Climate extremes and the carbon cycle," Nature, Nature, vol. 500(7462), pages 287-295, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Wantong Li & Javier Pacheco-Labrador & Mirco Migliavacca & Diego Miralles & Anne Hoek van Dijke & Markus Reichstein & Matthias Forkel & Weijie Zhang & Christian Frankenberg & Annu Panwar & Qian Zhang , 2023. "Widespread and complex drought effects on vegetation physiology inferred from space," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
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    4. Zefeng Chen & Weiguang Wang & Giovanni Forzieri & Alessandro Cescatti, 2024. "Transition from positive to negative indirect CO2 effects on the vegetation carbon uptake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.

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