Diagnosing Phosphorus Limitation in Subtropical Forests in China under Climate Warming

Na Wang, Mei Huang, Fengxue Gu, Huimin Yan, Shaoqiang Wang, Honglin He, Zhaosheng Wang, Xiangyang Sun, Wenting Xu, Fengting Yang and Guowei Chu
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Na Wang: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Mei Huang: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Fengxue Gu: Key Laboratory of Dryland Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Huimin Yan: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Shaoqiang Wang: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Honglin He: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Zhaosheng Wang: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Xiangyang Sun: Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610000, China
Wenting Xu: State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environment Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
Fengting Yang: Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Guowei Chu: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-17

Abstract: Phosphorus (P) is a fundamental component of plant organisms. Most of the Earth System Models (ESMs) project increases in future Net Primary Productivity (NPP) due to climate warming. However, large uncertainty exists in projected NPP due to future P limitation. Subtropical China is a region with high vegetation NPP, but its forests are mostly P limited. In this study, we used the simulations of Atmospheric-Vegetation Interaction Model 2 (AVIM2) to diagnose the P limitation in forests in this region, and found that climate warming in the period of 1951–2010 had enhanced P limitation. The P demand during 1981–2010 for Evergreen Broad-leaved Forest (EBF) and Evergreen Needle-leaved Forest (ENF) are 1.67 and 1.8 times than that during 1951–1980, respectively. The observed current Available Soil P (ASP) density in 4 representative forest sites in subtropical China varied between 940 mg · m − 2 and 2365 mg · m − 2 , and the P demands account for 0.86% to 25.5% of the ASP for the period of 1951–2010. Future P demands are estimated to account for 3.2% to 68.3% of the current ASP at the end of this century for RCP8.5. Therefore, forests, especially plantations, in subtropical China are facing high risks of P limitation.

Keywords: climate warming; net primary productivity; phosphorus limitation; subtropical forest; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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