---
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: free access
_id: '22570'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) is increasing, which increases
leaf-scalephotosynthesis and intrinsic water-use efficiency. These direct responses
have the potential toincrease plant growth, vegetation biomass, and soil organic
matter; transferring carbon from theatmosphere into terrestrial ecosystems (a
carbon sink). A substantial global terrestrial carbon sinkwould slow the rate
of [CO 2] increase and thus climate change. However, ecosystem CO2responses are
complex or confounded by concurrent changes in multiple agents of global changeand
evidence for a [CO 2]-driven terrestrial carbon sink can appear contradictory.
Here wesynthesize theory and broad, multidisciplinary evidence for the effects
of increasing [CO 2](iCO 2) on the global terrestrial carbon sink. Evidence suggests
a substantial increase in globalphotosynthesis since pre-industrial times. Established
theory, supported by experiments,indicates that iCO 2 is likely responsible for
about half of the increase. Global carbon budgeting,atmospheric data, and forest
inventories indicate a historical carbon sink, and these apparentiCO 2 responses
are high in comparison to experiments and predictions from theory. Plantmortality
and soil carbon iCO 2 responses are highly uncertain. In conclusion, a range of
evidencesupports a positive terrestrial carbon sink in response to iCO2 , albeit
with uncertain magnitudeand strong suggestion of a role for additional agents
of global change.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Anthony P.
full_name: Walker, Anthony P.
last_name: Walker
- first_name: Martin G.
full_name: De Kauwe, Martin G.
last_name: De Kauwe
- first_name: Ana
full_name: Bastos, Ana
last_name: Bastos
- first_name: Soumaya
full_name: Belmecheri, Soumaya
last_name: Belmecheri
- first_name: Katerina
full_name: Georgiou, Katerina
last_name: Georgiou
- first_name: Ralph F.
full_name: Keeling, Ralph F.
last_name: Keeling
- first_name: Sean M.
full_name: McMahon, Sean M.
last_name: McMahon
- first_name: Belinda E.
full_name: Medlyn, Belinda E.
last_name: Medlyn
- first_name: David J. P.
full_name: Moore, David J. P.
last_name: Moore
- first_name: Richard J.
full_name: Norby, Richard J.
last_name: Norby
- first_name: Sönke
full_name: Zaehle, Sönke
last_name: Zaehle
- first_name: Kristina J.
full_name: Anderson‐Teixeira, Kristina J.
last_name: Anderson‐Teixeira
- first_name: Giovanna
full_name: Battipaglia, Giovanna
last_name: Battipaglia
- first_name: Roel J. W.
full_name: Brienen, Roel J. W.
last_name: Brienen
- first_name: Kristine G.
full_name: Cabugao, Kristine G.
last_name: Cabugao
- first_name: Maxime
full_name: Cailleret, Maxime
last_name: Cailleret
- first_name: Elliott
full_name: Campbell, Elliott
last_name: Campbell
- first_name: Josep G.
full_name: Canadell, Josep G.
last_name: Canadell
- first_name: Philippe
full_name: Ciais, Philippe
last_name: Ciais
- first_name: Matthew E.
full_name: Craig, Matthew E.
last_name: Craig
- first_name: David S.
full_name: Ellsworth, David S.
last_name: Ellsworth
- first_name: Graham D.
full_name: Farquhar, Graham D.
last_name: Farquhar
- first_name: Simone
full_name: Fatichi, Simone
id: cf8e546b-a9b0-11f0-a43b-aa89ed1b56d6
last_name: Fatichi
- first_name: Joshua B.
full_name: Fisher, Joshua B.
last_name: Fisher
- first_name: David C.
full_name: Frank, David C.
last_name: Frank
- first_name: Heather
full_name: Graven, Heather
last_name: Graven
- first_name: Lianhong
full_name: Gu, Lianhong
last_name: Gu
- first_name: Vanessa
full_name: Haverd, Vanessa
last_name: Haverd
- first_name: Kelly
full_name: Heilman, Kelly
last_name: Heilman
- first_name: Martin
full_name: Heimann, Martin
last_name: Heimann
- first_name: Bruce A.
full_name: Hungate, Bruce A.
last_name: Hungate
- first_name: Colleen M.
full_name: Iversen, Colleen M.
last_name: Iversen
- first_name: Fortunat
full_name: Joos, Fortunat
last_name: Joos
- first_name: Mingkai
full_name: Jiang, Mingkai
last_name: Jiang
- first_name: Trevor F.
full_name: Keenan, Trevor F.
last_name: Keenan
- first_name: Jürgen
full_name: Knauer, Jürgen
last_name: Knauer
- first_name: Christian
full_name: Körner, Christian
last_name: Körner
- first_name: Victor O.
full_name: Leshyk, Victor O.
last_name: Leshyk
- first_name: Sebastian
full_name: Leuzinger, Sebastian
last_name: Leuzinger
- first_name: Yao
full_name: Liu, Yao
last_name: Liu
- first_name: Natasha
full_name: MacBean, Natasha
last_name: MacBean
- first_name: Yadvinder
full_name: Malhi, Yadvinder
last_name: Malhi
- first_name: Tim R.
full_name: McVicar, Tim R.
last_name: McVicar
- first_name: Josep
full_name: Penuelas, Josep
last_name: Penuelas
- first_name: Julia
full_name: Pongratz, Julia
last_name: Pongratz
- first_name: A. Shafer
full_name: Powell, A. Shafer
last_name: Powell
- first_name: Terhi
full_name: Riutta, Terhi
last_name: Riutta
- first_name: Manon E. B.
full_name: Sabot, Manon E. B.
last_name: Sabot
- first_name: Juergen
full_name: Schleucher, Juergen
last_name: Schleucher
- first_name: Stephen
full_name: Sitch, Stephen
last_name: Sitch
- first_name: William K.
full_name: Smith, William K.
last_name: Smith
- first_name: Benjamin
full_name: Sulman, Benjamin
last_name: Sulman
- first_name: Benton
full_name: Taylor, Benton
last_name: Taylor
- first_name: César
full_name: Terrer, César
last_name: Terrer
- first_name: Margaret S.
full_name: Torn, Margaret S.
last_name: Torn
- first_name: Kathleen K.
full_name: Treseder, Kathleen K.
last_name: Treseder
- first_name: Anna T.
full_name: Trugman, Anna T.
last_name: Trugman
- first_name: Susan E.
full_name: Trumbore, Susan E.
last_name: Trumbore
- first_name: Phillip J.
full_name: van Mantgem, Phillip J.
last_name: van Mantgem
- first_name: Steve L.
full_name: Voelker, Steve L.
last_name: Voelker
- first_name: Mary E.
full_name: Whelan, Mary E.
last_name: Whelan
- first_name: Pieter A.
full_name: Zuidema, Pieter A.
last_name: Zuidema
citation:
ama: Walker AP, De Kauwe MG, Bastos A, et al. Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial
carbon sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2. New Phytologist. 2021;229(5):2413-2445.
doi:10.1111/nph.16866
apa: Walker, A. P., De Kauwe, M. G., Bastos, A., Belmecheri, S., Georgiou, K., Keeling,
R. F., … Zuidema, P. A. (2021). Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon
sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2. New Phytologist. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16866
chicago: Walker, Anthony P., Martin G. De Kauwe, Ana Bastos, Soumaya Belmecheri,
Katerina Georgiou, Ralph F. Keeling, Sean M. McMahon, et al. “Integrating the
Evidence for a Terrestrial Carbon Sink Caused by Increasing Atmospheric CO2.”
New Phytologist. Wiley, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16866.
ieee: A. P. Walker et al., “Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon
sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2,” New Phytologist, vol. 229,
no. 5. Wiley, pp. 2413–2445, 2021.
ista: Walker AP, De Kauwe MG, Bastos A, Belmecheri S, Georgiou K, Keeling RF, McMahon
SM, Medlyn BE, Moore DJP, Norby RJ, Zaehle S, Anderson‐Teixeira KJ, Battipaglia
G, Brienen RJW, Cabugao KG, Cailleret M, Campbell E, Canadell JG, Ciais P, Craig
ME, Ellsworth DS, Farquhar GD, Fatichi S, Fisher JB, Frank DC, Graven H, Gu L,
Haverd V, Heilman K, Heimann M, Hungate BA, Iversen CM, Joos F, Jiang M, Keenan
TF, Knauer J, Körner C, Leshyk VO, Leuzinger S, Liu Y, MacBean N, Malhi Y, McVicar
TR, Penuelas J, Pongratz J, Powell AS, Riutta T, Sabot MEB, Schleucher J, Sitch
S, Smith WK, Sulman B, Taylor B, Terrer C, Torn MS, Treseder KK, Trugman AT, Trumbore
SE, van Mantgem PJ, Voelker SL, Whelan ME, Zuidema PA. 2021. Integrating the evidence
for a terrestrial carbon sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO2. New Phytologist.
229(5), 2413–2445.
mla: Walker, Anthony P., et al. “Integrating the Evidence for a Terrestrial Carbon
Sink Caused by Increasing Atmospheric CO2.” New Phytologist, vol. 229,
no. 5, Wiley, 2021, pp. 2413–45, doi:10.1111/nph.16866.
short: A.P. Walker, M.G. De Kauwe, A. Bastos, S. Belmecheri, K. Georgiou, R.F. Keeling,
S.M. McMahon, B.E. Medlyn, D.J.P. Moore, R.J. Norby, S. Zaehle, K.J. Anderson‐Teixeira,
G. Battipaglia, R.J.W. Brienen, K.G. Cabugao, M. Cailleret, E. Campbell, J.G.
Canadell, P. Ciais, M.E. Craig, D.S. Ellsworth, G.D. Farquhar, S. Fatichi, J.B.
Fisher, D.C. Frank, H. Graven, L. Gu, V. Haverd, K. Heilman, M. Heimann, B.A.
Hungate, C.M. Iversen, F. Joos, M. Jiang, T.F. Keenan, J. Knauer, C. Körner, V.O.
Leshyk, S. Leuzinger, Y. Liu, N. MacBean, Y. Malhi, T.R. McVicar, J. Penuelas,
J. Pongratz, A.S. Powell, T. Riutta, M.E.B. Sabot, J. Schleucher, S. Sitch, W.K.
Smith, B. Sulman, B. Taylor, C. Terrer, M.S. Torn, K.K. Treseder, A.T. Trugman,
S.E. Trumbore, P.J. van Mantgem, S.L. Voelker, M.E. Whelan, P.A. Zuidema, New
Phytologist 229 (2021) 2413–2445.
das_tickbox: '1'
date_created: 2026-07-27T12:30:24Z
date_published: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-08-06T08:39:39Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1111/nph.16866
extern: '1'
external_id:
pmid:
- '32789857'
intvolume: ' 229'
issue: '5'
keyword:
- Beta factor
- Carbon dioxide
- CO2 fertilization
- CO2-fertilization hypothesis
- Free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE)
- Global carbon cycle
- Land–atmosphere feedback
- Terrestrial ecosystems
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16866
month: '03'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 2413-2445
pmid: 1
publication: New Phytologist
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1469-8137
issn:
- 0028-646X
publication_status: published
publisher: Wiley
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon sink caused by increasing
atmospheric CO2
type: journal_article
user_id: ba8df636-2132-11f1-aed0-ed93e2281fdd
volume: 229
year: '2021'
...