Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change
Abstract Long computation times in vegetation and climate models hamper our ability to evaluate the potentially powerful role of plants on weathering and carbon sequestration over the Phanerozoic Eon. Simulated vegetation over deep time is often homogenous, and disregards the spatial distribution of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46105-1 |
| _version_ | 1797273872174678016 |
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| author | Khushboo Gurung Katie J. Field Sarah A. Batterman Simon W. Poulton Benjamin J. W. Mills |
| author_facet | Khushboo Gurung Katie J. Field Sarah A. Batterman Simon W. Poulton Benjamin J. W. Mills |
| author_sort | Khushboo Gurung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Long computation times in vegetation and climate models hamper our ability to evaluate the potentially powerful role of plants on weathering and carbon sequestration over the Phanerozoic Eon. Simulated vegetation over deep time is often homogenous, and disregards the spatial distribution of plants and the impact of local climatic variables on plant function. Here we couple a fast vegetation model (FLORA) to a spatially-resolved long-term climate-biogeochemical model (SCION), to assess links between plant geographical range, the long-term carbon cycle and climate. Model results show lower rates of carbon fixation and up to double the previously predicted atmospheric CO2 concentration due to a limited plant geographical range over the arid Pangea supercontinent. The Mesozoic dispersion of the continents increases modelled plant geographical range from 65% to > 90%, amplifying global CO2 removal, consistent with geological data. We demonstrate that plant geographical range likely exerted a major, under-explored control on long-term climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:50:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3aa384b7f6fe477ca3032d1d52e19c93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:50:21Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-3aa384b7f6fe477ca3032d1d52e19c932024-03-05T19:42:22ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-02-011511710.1038/s41467-024-46105-1Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate changeKhushboo Gurung0Katie J. Field1Sarah A. Batterman2Simon W. Poulton3Benjamin J. W. Mills4School of Earth and Environment, University of LeedsPlants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of SheffieldCary Institute of Ecosystem StudiesSchool of Earth and Environment, University of LeedsSchool of Earth and Environment, University of LeedsAbstract Long computation times in vegetation and climate models hamper our ability to evaluate the potentially powerful role of plants on weathering and carbon sequestration over the Phanerozoic Eon. Simulated vegetation over deep time is often homogenous, and disregards the spatial distribution of plants and the impact of local climatic variables on plant function. Here we couple a fast vegetation model (FLORA) to a spatially-resolved long-term climate-biogeochemical model (SCION), to assess links between plant geographical range, the long-term carbon cycle and climate. Model results show lower rates of carbon fixation and up to double the previously predicted atmospheric CO2 concentration due to a limited plant geographical range over the arid Pangea supercontinent. The Mesozoic dispersion of the continents increases modelled plant geographical range from 65% to > 90%, amplifying global CO2 removal, consistent with geological data. We demonstrate that plant geographical range likely exerted a major, under-explored control on long-term climate change.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46105-1 |
| spellingShingle | Khushboo Gurung Katie J. Field Sarah A. Batterman Simon W. Poulton Benjamin J. W. Mills Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change Nature Communications |
| title | Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change |
| title_full | Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change |
| title_fullStr | Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change |
| title_short | Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change |
| title_sort | geographic range of plants drives long term climate change |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46105-1 |
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