IANIGLA   20881
INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE NIVOLOGIA, GLACIOLOGIA Y CIENCIAS AMBIENTALES
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Forest carbon sink neutralized by pervasive growth-lifespan trade-offs
Autor/es:
BRIENEN, R. J. W.; VOELKER, S.; CECCANTINI, G.; LOCOSSELLI, G. M.; SCHÖNGART, J.; DUCHESNE, L.; BALIVA, M.; HELAMA, S.; PIOVESAN, G.; GLOOR, E.; CALDWELL, L.; BARICHIVICH, J.; DI FILIPPO, A.; LOPEZ, L.; VILLALBA, R.
Revista:
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Editorial:
Springer-Nature
Referencias:
Año: 2020 vol. 11
ISSN:
2041-1723
Resumen:
Land vegetation is currently taking up large amounts of atmospheric CO2, possibly due to treegrowth stimulation. Extant models predict that this growth stimulation will continue to causea net carbon uptake this century. However, there are indications that increased growth ratesmay shorten trees′ lifespan and thus recent increases in forest carbon stocks may be transientdue to lagged increases in mortality. Here we show that growth-lifespan trade-offs areindeed near universal, occurring across almost all species and climates. This trade-off isdirectly linked to faster growth reducing tree lifespan, and not due to covariance with climateor environment. Thus, current tree growth stimulation will, inevitably, result in a laggedincrease in canopy tree mortality, as is indeed widely observed, and eventually neutralisecarbon gains due to growth stimulation. Results from a strongly data-based forest simulatorconfirm these expectations. Extant Earth system model projections of global forest carbonsink persistence are likely too optimistic, increasing the need to curb greenhouse gasemissions.