Enhanced global primary production by biogenic aerosol via diffuse radiation fertilization
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Authors
Colleges, School and Institutes
External organisations
- University of Leeds
- University of Exeter
- CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGY
- University of York
- University of Sheffield
- Lancaster University
Abstract
Terrestrial vegetation releases large quantities of plant volatiles into the atmosphere that can then oxidize to form secondary organic aerosol. These particles affect plant productivity through the diffuse radiation fertilization effect by altering the balance between direct and diffuse radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. Here, using a suite of models describing relevant coupled components of the Earth system, we quantify the impacts of biogenic secondary organic aerosol on plant photosynthesis through this fertilization effect. We show that this leads to a net primary productivity enhancement of 1.23 Pg C yr−1 (range 0.76–1.61 Pg C yr−1 due to uncertainty in biogenic secondary organic aerosol formation). Notably, this productivity enhancement is twice the mass of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions (and ~30 times larger than the mass of carbon in biogenic secondary organic aerosol) causing it. Hence, our simulations indicate that there is a strong positive ecosystem feedback between biogenic volatile organic compound emissions and plant productivity through plant-canopy light-use efficiency. We estimate a gain of 1.07 in global biogenic volatile organic compound emissions resulting from this feedback.
Details
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 640-644 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Nature Geoscience |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 9 |
Early online date | 20 Aug 2018 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2018 |