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    Original Research Papers

    Biogeophysical effects of CO2 fertilization on global climate

    Authors:

    G. Bala ,

    Energy and Environment Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, CA 94550, US
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    K. Caldeira,

    Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution, Stanford, CA 94305, US
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    A. Mirin,

    Energy and Environment Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, CA 94550, US
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    M. Wickett,

    Energy and Environment Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, CA 94550, US
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    C. Delire,

    ISE-M, Université Montpellier II, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, FR
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    T. J. Phillips

    Energy and Environment Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, CA 94550, US
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    Abstract

    CO2 fertilization affects plant growth, which modifies surface physical properties, altering the surface albedo, and fluxes of sensible and latent heat. We investigate how such CO2-fertilization effects on vegetation and surface properties would affect the climate system. Using a global three-dimensional climate-carbon model that simulates vegetation dynamics, we compare two multicentury simulations: a ‘Control’ simulation with no emissions and a ‘Physiol-noGHG’ simulation where physiological changes occur as a result of prescribed CO2 emissions, but where CO2-induced greenhouse warming is not included. In our simulations, CO2 fertilization produces warming; we obtain an annual- and global-mean warming of about 0.65 K (and land-only warming of 1.4 K) after 430 yr. This century-scale warming is mostly due to a decreased surface albedo associated with the expansion of the Northern Hemisphere boreal forests. On decadal timescales, the CO2 uptake by afforestation should produce a cooling effect that exceeds this albedo-based warming; but if the forests remain in place, the CO2-enhanced-greenhouse effect would diminish as the ocean equilibrates with the atmosphere, whereas the albedo effect would persist. Thus, on century timescales, there is the prospect for net warming from CO2 fertilization of the land biosphere. Further study is needed to confirm and better quantify our results.

    How to Cite: Bala, G., Caldeira, K., Mirin, A., Wickett, M., Delire, C. and Phillips, T.J., 2006. Biogeophysical effects of CO2 fertilization on global climate. Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, 58(5), pp.620–627. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0889.2006.00210.x
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      Published on 01 Jan 2006
    Peer Reviewed
     CC BY 4.0
     Accepted on 27 Jun 2006            Submitted on 24 Oct 2005

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