Global systematic review with meta-analysis shows that warming effects on terrestrial plant biomass allocation are influenced by precipitation and mycorrhizal association

Lingyan Zhou, Xuhui Zhou (), Yanghui He, Yuling Fu, Zhenggang Du, Meng Lu, Xiaoying Sun, Chenghao Li, Chunyan Lu, Ruiqiang Liu, Guiyao Zhou, Shahla Hosseni Bai and Madhav P. Thakur
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Lingyan Zhou: East China Normal University
Xuhui Zhou: East China Normal University
Yanghui He: Northeast Forestry University
Yuling Fu: East China Normal University
Zhenggang Du: Northeast Forestry University
Meng Lu: Yunnan University
Xiaoying Sun: East China Normal University
Chenghao Li: East China Normal University
Chunyan Lu: East China Normal University
Ruiqiang Liu: Northeast Forestry University
Guiyao Zhou: East China Normal University
Shahla Hosseni Bai: Griffith University
Madhav P. Thakur: University of Bern

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Biomass allocation in plants is fundamental for understanding and predicting terrestrial carbon storage. Yet, our knowledge regarding warming effects on root: shoot ratio (R/S) remains limited. Here, we present a meta-analysis encompassing more than 300 studies and including angiosperms and gymnosperms as well as different biomes (cropland, desert, forest, grassland, tundra, and wetland). The meta-analysis shows that average warming of 2.50 °C (median = 2 °C) significantly increases biomass allocation to roots with a mean increase of 8.1% in R/S. Two factors associate significantly with this response to warming: mean annual precipitation and the type of mycorrhizal fungi associated with plants. Warming-induced allocation to roots is greater in drier habitats when compared to shoots (+15.1% in R/S), while lower in wetter habitats (+4.9% in R/S). This R/S pattern is more frequent in plants associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, compared to ectomycorrhizal fungi. These results show that precipitation variability and mycorrhizal association can affect terrestrial carbon dynamics by influencing biomass allocation strategies in a warmer world, suggesting that climate change could influence belowground C sequestration.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32671-9

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