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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Microbial competition for phosphorus limits the CO2 response of a mature forest
AU - Jiang, M.
AU - Crous, K.Y.
AU - Carrillo, Y.
AU - Macdonald, C.A.
AU - Anderson, I.C.
AU - Boer, M.M.
AU - Farrell, M.
AU - Gherlenda, A.N.
AU - Castañeda-Gómez, L.
AU - Hasegawa, S.
AU - Jarosch, K.
AU - Milham, P.J.
AU - Ochoa-Hueso, R.
AU - Pathare, V.
AU - Pihlblad, J.
AU - Piñeiro, J.
AU - Powell, J.R.
AU - Reich, P.B.
AU - Riegler, M.
AU - Zaehle, Sonke
AU - Smith, B.
AU - Medlyn, B.E.
AU - Ellsworth, D.S.
PY - 2024/6/5
Y1 - 2024/6/5
N2 - The capacity for terrestrial ecosystems to sequester additional carbon (C) with rising CO2 concentrations depends on soil nutrient availability1,2. Previous evidence suggested that mature forests growing on phosphorus (P)-deprived soils had limited capacity to sequester extra biomass under elevated CO2 (refs. 3,4,5,6), but uncertainty about ecosystem P cycling and its CO2 response represents a crucial bottleneck for mechanistic prediction of the land C sink under climate change7. Here, by compiling the first comprehensive P budget for a P-limited mature forest exposed to elevated CO2, we show a high likelihood that P captured by soil microorganisms constrains ecosystem P recycling and availability for plant uptake. Trees used P efficiently, but microbial pre-emption of mineralized soil P seemed to limit the capacity of trees for increased P uptake and assimilation under elevated CO2 and, therefore, their capacity to sequester extra C. Plant strategies to stimulate microbial P cycling and plant P uptake, such as increasing rhizosphere C release to soil, will probably be necessary for P-limited forests to increase C capture into new biomass. Our results identify the key mechanisms by which P availability limits CO2 fertilization of tree growth and will guide the development of Earth system models to predict future long-term C storage.
AB - The capacity for terrestrial ecosystems to sequester additional carbon (C) with rising CO2 concentrations depends on soil nutrient availability1,2. Previous evidence suggested that mature forests growing on phosphorus (P)-deprived soils had limited capacity to sequester extra biomass under elevated CO2 (refs. 3,4,5,6), but uncertainty about ecosystem P cycling and its CO2 response represents a crucial bottleneck for mechanistic prediction of the land C sink under climate change7. Here, by compiling the first comprehensive P budget for a P-limited mature forest exposed to elevated CO2, we show a high likelihood that P captured by soil microorganisms constrains ecosystem P recycling and availability for plant uptake. Trees used P efficiently, but microbial pre-emption of mineralized soil P seemed to limit the capacity of trees for increased P uptake and assimilation under elevated CO2 and, therefore, their capacity to sequester extra C. Plant strategies to stimulate microbial P cycling and plant P uptake, such as increasing rhizosphere C release to soil, will probably be necessary for P-limited forests to increase C capture into new biomass. Our results identify the key mechanisms by which P availability limits CO2 fertilization of tree growth and will guide the development of Earth system models to predict future long-term C storage.
U2 - 10.1038/s41586-024-07491-0
DO - 10.1038/s41586-024-07491-0
M3 - Journal article
VL - 630
SP - 660
EP - 665
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
ER -