Published in ERW, 17 Nov 2014
Scientists in the US have predicted that gross primary production – the synthesis of organic compounds, mainly in plant matter, from carbon dioxide – will become limited in a warmed climate, despite having also found that the optimal temperature for the process will rise. According to the researchers, the results highlight the importance of accounting for temperature extremes in climate modelling.
Gross primary production (GPP) is a sink for carbon dioxide, and a key parameter scientists consider when predicting the effects of a changing climate. If a warmed climate is less favourable to plant growth, less carbon dioxide will be taken out of the atmosphere, and the climate will warm further. “Uncertainty in this feedback loop is a large part of the uncertainty in future climate projections,” said Ian Williams at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). […]
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