Work

Drought-Induced Shifts in Biomass Allocation and Carbon Sequestration in Arid Zone Tree Species

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A rapidly growing population demands greater access to food, feed, and shelter, thereby increasing the strain on natural resources. Human activities, such as converting forests into arable land and increasing CO2 emissions, intensify atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Following a significant increase in atmospheric carbon levels, global temperatures have surged, resulting in frequent droughts worldwide. Drought, a protracted episode of unusually low rainfall, has detrimental effects on ecosystems in dry zones. Reduced growth, altered phenology, and higher tree mortality are the results of physiological and ecological changes. This review focuses on shifts in biomass allocation between aboveground (leaves and stems) and belowground (roots) components. It assesses how these drought-induced changes affect overall tree growth, carbon storage capacity, and long-term resilience. This review aims to identify patterns and knowledge gaps to understand how arid zone forests respond to and influence the global carbon cycle under increasing drought conditions in the future.

Source: Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

DOI: 10.46488/nept.2025.v24i04.b4323

Authors: Kanwar Bhan Godara, Pankaj Kumar Jain, Prama Esther Soloman

Institution: University of Rajasthan

Language: English

Topic: Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $575