Diminished biophysical cooling benefits of global forestation under rising atmospheric
Kan, Fei (Peking University)
Xu, Hao (Peking University)
Tang, Shuchang (Peking University)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Lian, Xu (Peking University)
Roebroek, Caspar T. J. (Joint Research Centre)
Anniwaer, Nazhakaiti (Peking University)
Wang, Kai (Peking University)
Piao, Shilong (Peking University)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	Forestation is a proposed solution for mitigating global warming through carbon sequestration. However, its biophysical effects through surface energy modulation, particularly under rising CO2 levels, is less understood. Here we investigate the biophysical effects of global potential forestation on near-surface air temperature (Ta) under increasing CO2 concentrations using a land-atmosphere coupled model with slab ocean module. Our findings reveal that, under current climate conditions, the biophysical effect of global full-potential forestation can reduce land surface Ta by 0. 062 °C globally. However, this cooling benefit diminishes as CO2 rises. While elevated CO2 slightly alters evaporative local cooling via stomatal closure and adjustments in forestation-driven rainfall regimes, the dominant reduction stems from non-local mechanisms. Background climate shifts reorganize forestation-induced horizontal temperature advection, weakening remote cooling in the Northern Hemisphere. These findings highlight the necessity of incorporating dynamic forest management strategies to optimize mitigation potential under a changing climate.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2023/SGR-00118
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	Nature communications, Vol. 16 (May 2025) , art. 4410, ISSN 2041-1723

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59547-y
PMID: 40360539

13 p, 2.7 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles