Enhanced global primary production by biogenic aerosol via diffuse radiation fertilization

Rap, A.; Scott, C.E.; Reddington, C.L.; Mercado, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4069-0838; Ellis, R.J.; Garraway, S.; Evans, M.J.; Beerling, D.J.; MacKenzie, A.R.; Hewitt, C.N.; Spracklen, D.V.. 2018 Enhanced global primary production by biogenic aerosol via diffuse radiation fertilization. Nature Geoscience, 11 (9). 640-644. 10.1038/s41561-018-0208-3

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0208-3

Abstract/Summary

Terrestrial vegetation releases large quantities of plant volatiles into the atmosphere that can then oxidize to form secondary organic aerosol. These particles affect plant productivity through the diffuse radiation fertilization effect by altering the balance between direct and diffuse radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. Here, using a suite of models describing relevant coupled components of the Earth system, we quantify the impacts of biogenic secondary organic aerosol on plant photosynthesis through this fertilization effect. We show that this leads to a net primary productivity enhancement of 1.23 Pg C yr−1 (range 0.76–1.61 Pg C yr−1 due to uncertainty in biogenic secondary organic aerosol formation). Notably, this productivity enhancement is twice the mass of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions (and ~30 times larger than the mass of carbon in biogenic secondary organic aerosol) causing it. Hence, our simulations indicate that there is a strong positive ecosystem feedback between biogenic volatile organic compound emissions and plant productivity through plant-canopy light-use efficiency. We estimate a gain of 1.07 in global biogenic volatile organic compound emissions resulting from this feedback.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s41561-018-0208-3
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Hydro-climate Risks (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	1752-0894
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Publisher link (see Related URLs) provides a view-only full-text copy of the published paper.
Additional Keywords:	atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric science, carbon cycle
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences
Related URLs:	Publisher
Date made live:	06 Sep 2018 11:14 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520877

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1038/s41561-018-0208-3

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Hydro-climate Risks (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

1752-0894

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Publisher link (see Related URLs) provides a view-only full-text copy of the published paper.

Additional Keywords:

atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric science, carbon cycle