Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models
Abstract Denitrification and leaching nitrogen (N) losses are poorly constrained in Earth System Models (ESMs). Here, we produce a global map of natural soil 15N abundance and quantify soil denitrification N loss for global natural ecosystems using an isotope-benchmarking method. We show an overesti...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38803-z |
| _version_ | 1797817910844981248 |
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| author | Maoyuan Feng Shushi Peng Yilong Wang Philippe Ciais Daniel S. Goll Jinfeng Chang Yunting Fang Benjamin Z. Houlton Gang Liu Yan Sun Yi Xi |
| author_facet | Maoyuan Feng Shushi Peng Yilong Wang Philippe Ciais Daniel S. Goll Jinfeng Chang Yunting Fang Benjamin Z. Houlton Gang Liu Yan Sun Yi Xi |
| author_sort | Maoyuan Feng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Denitrification and leaching nitrogen (N) losses are poorly constrained in Earth System Models (ESMs). Here, we produce a global map of natural soil 15N abundance and quantify soil denitrification N loss for global natural ecosystems using an isotope-benchmarking method. We show an overestimation of denitrification by almost two times in the 13 ESMs of the Sixth Phase Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6, 73 ± 31 Tg N yr−1), compared with our estimate of 38 ± 11 Tg N yr−1, which is rooted in isotope mass balance. Moreover, we find a negative correlation between the sensitivity of plant production to rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and denitrification in boreal regions, revealing that overestimated denitrification in ESMs would translate to an exaggeration of N limitation on the responses of plant growth to elevated CO2. Our study highlights the need of improving the representation of the denitrification in ESMs and better assessing the effects of terrestrial ecosystems on CO2 mitigation. |
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| id | doaj.art-5fc92f82d37745cbb3bb2450ee6b024f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:00:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-5fc92f82d37745cbb3bb2450ee6b024f2023-05-28T11:21:48ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-05-011411910.1038/s41467-023-38803-zOverestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System ModelsMaoyuan Feng0Shushi Peng1Yilong Wang2Philippe Ciais3Daniel S. Goll4Jinfeng Chang5Yunting Fang6Benjamin Z. Houlton7Gang Liu8Yan Sun9Yi Xi10Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Peking UniversitySino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Peking UniversityState Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesLaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-SaclayLaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-SaclayCollege of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Global Development, CALS, Cornell UniversitySino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Peking UniversityCollege of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of ChinaSino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Peking UniversityAbstract Denitrification and leaching nitrogen (N) losses are poorly constrained in Earth System Models (ESMs). Here, we produce a global map of natural soil 15N abundance and quantify soil denitrification N loss for global natural ecosystems using an isotope-benchmarking method. We show an overestimation of denitrification by almost two times in the 13 ESMs of the Sixth Phase Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6, 73 ± 31 Tg N yr−1), compared with our estimate of 38 ± 11 Tg N yr−1, which is rooted in isotope mass balance. Moreover, we find a negative correlation between the sensitivity of plant production to rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and denitrification in boreal regions, revealing that overestimated denitrification in ESMs would translate to an exaggeration of N limitation on the responses of plant growth to elevated CO2. Our study highlights the need of improving the representation of the denitrification in ESMs and better assessing the effects of terrestrial ecosystems on CO2 mitigation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38803-z |
| spellingShingle | Maoyuan Feng Shushi Peng Yilong Wang Philippe Ciais Daniel S. Goll Jinfeng Chang Yunting Fang Benjamin Z. Houlton Gang Liu Yan Sun Yi Xi Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models Nature Communications |
| title | Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models |
| title_full | Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models |
| title_fullStr | Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models |
| title_short | Overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in CMIP6 Earth System Models |
| title_sort | overestimated nitrogen loss from denitrification for natural terrestrial ecosystems in cmip6 earth system models |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38803-z |
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