Long-term Climate Warming Weakens Positive Plant Biomass Responses Globally

Strategic Insights -

Research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shed light on the impact of long-term climate warming on plant biomass responses. The study analyzed a global dataset of 2,291 paired observations, revealing that while warming increased overall aboveground and belowground plant biomass in the short term, the positive response shifted to neutral or negative as warming duration increased, particularly in regions with mean annual temperatures exceeding 10°C.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed a global dataset of 2,291 paired observations to investigate the effect of warming duration on plant biomass responses.
  • Warming increased overall aboveground plant biomass by 9.4% and belowground biomass by 2.6% in the short term, but this positive response shifted to neutral or negative as warming duration increased.
  • In regions with mean annual temperatures exceeding 10°C, biomass reductions were observed, with global aboveground biomass projected to decline by 4 to 16% under a 2°C increase in climate warming.
  • The research suggests that long-term climate warming will significantly weaken plant carbon storage, even if temperature increases remain within the targets of the Paris Agreement.
  • The study offers empirical constraints for global biomass-climate models.

Statistics:

  • 2,291 paired observations were analyzed in the study.
  • Warming increased aboveground plant biomass by 9.4% and belowground biomass by 2.6% in the short term.
  • In regions with mean annual temperatures exceeding 10°C, biomass reductions of up to 16% were observed.
  • Global aboveground biomass is projected to decline by 4 to 16% under a 2°C increase in climate warming.

Sources:

  • Long-term Climate Warming Weakens Positive Plant Biomass Responses Globally. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2025;122(34).
  • National Academy of Sciences (www.nasonline.org/; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - www.nasonline.org/publications/pnas/)
  • Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (College of Agronomy, State Key Lab Crop Stress Resistance & High Effici, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China)