Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Natural ecosystems store large amounts of carbon globally, as organisms absorb carbon from the atmosphere to build large, long-lasting, or slow-decaying structures such as tree bark or root systems. An ecosystem's carbon sequestration potential is tightly linked to its biological diversity. Yet when considering future projections, many carbon sequestration models fail to account for the role biodiversity plays in carbon storage. Here, we assess the consequences of plant biodiversity loss for carbon storage under multiple climate and land-use change scenarios. We link a macroecological model projecting changes in vascular plant richness under different scenarios with empirical data on relationships between biodiversity and biomass. We find that biodiversity declines from climate and land use change could lead to a global loss of between 7.44-103.14 PgC (global sustainability scenario) and 10.87-145.95 PgC (fossil-fueled development scenario). This indicates a self-reinforcing feedback loop, where higher levels of climate change lead to greater biodiversity loss, which in turn leads to greater carbon emissions and ultimately more climate change. Conversely, biodiversity conservation and restoration can help achieve climate change mitigation goals.
Source: Nature Communications
Institutions: United States Geological Survey, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, National Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Minnesota, Université de Montréal, Sapienza University of Rome, Vizzuality (Spain), Northern Research Station, North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Columbia University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO Environment
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Climate action, Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,790
OpenAlex ID: W4398207342