Microbial competition for phosphorus limits the CO2 response of a mature forest

Mingkai Jiang, Kristine Y. Crous (), Yolima Carrillo, Catriona A. Macdonald, Ian C. Anderson, Matthias M. Boer, Mark Farrell, Andrew N. Gherlenda, Laura Castañeda-Gómez, Shun Hasegawa, Klaus Jarosch, Paul J. Milham, Rául Ochoa-Hueso, Varsha Pathare, Johanna Pihlblad, Juan Piñeiro, Jeff R. Powell, Sally A. Power, Peter B. Reich, Markus Riegler, Sönke Zaehle, Benjamin Smith, Belinda E. Medlyn and David S. Ellsworth
Additional contact information
Mingkai Jiang: Zhejiang University
Kristine Y. Crous: Western Sydney University
Yolima Carrillo: Western Sydney University
Catriona A. Macdonald: Western Sydney University
Ian C. Anderson: Western Sydney University
Matthias M. Boer: Western Sydney University
Mark Farrell: CSIRO Agriculture and Food
Andrew N. Gherlenda: Western Sydney University
Laura Castañeda-Gómez: Western Sydney University
Shun Hasegawa: Western Sydney University
Klaus Jarosch: University of Bern
Paul J. Milham: Western Sydney University
Rául Ochoa-Hueso: University of Cádiz
Varsha Pathare: Western Sydney University
Johanna Pihlblad: Western Sydney University
Juan Piñeiro: Western Sydney University
Jeff R. Powell: Western Sydney University
Sally A. Power: Western Sydney University
Peter B. Reich: Western Sydney University
Markus Riegler: Western Sydney University
Sönke Zaehle: Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Benjamin Smith: Western Sydney University
Belinda E. Medlyn: Western Sydney University
David S. Ellsworth: Western Sydney University

Nature, 2024, vol. 630, issue 8017, 660-665

Abstract: Abstract The capacity for terrestrial ecosystems to sequester additional carbon (C) with rising CO2 concentrations depends on soil nutrient availability1,2. Previous evidence suggested that mature forests growing on phosphorus (P)-deprived soils had limited capacity to sequester extra biomass under elevated CO2 (refs. 3–6), but uncertainty about ecosystem P cycling and its CO2 response represents a crucial bottleneck for mechanistic prediction of the land C sink under climate change7. Here, by compiling the first comprehensive P budget for a P-limited mature forest exposed to elevated CO2, we show a high likelihood that P captured by soil microorganisms constrains ecosystem P recycling and availability for plant uptake. Trees used P efficiently, but microbial pre-emption of mineralized soil P seemed to limit the capacity of trees for increased P uptake and assimilation under elevated CO2 and, therefore, their capacity to sequester extra C. Plant strategies to stimulate microbial P cycling and plant P uptake, such as increasing rhizosphere C release to soil, will probably be necessary for P-limited forests to increase C capture into new biomass. Our results identify the key mechanisms by which P availability limits CO2 fertilization of tree growth and will guide the development of Earth system models to predict future long-term C storage.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07491-0

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