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Satellite based estimates underestimate the effect of CO2 fertilization on net primary productivity

Nature Climate Change volume 6, pages 892–893 (2016)Cite this article

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To the Editor

The recent study by Smith et al.1 (hereafter S15) concludes that Earth system models (ESMs) overestimate the effect of CO2 fertilization on net primary productivity (NPP). Whilst this finding is possible2, here we highlight that the satellite derived NPP estimates used are likely to underestimate the CO2 fertilization effect because they do not account for the primary effect of CO2 on photosynthesis. Additionally the calculation of NPP sensitivity to atmospheric CO2 is misleading, invalidating the comparison with free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) data.

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Figure 1: Illustration of the effect of different measurements of atmospheric CO2 concentration (Ca) ranges on estimation of β, defined as the relative change in net primary productivity (NPP) for a 100-ppm change in Ca.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, 2109, New South Wales, Australia

    Martin G. De Kauwe, Trevor F. Keenan & I. Colin Prentice

  2. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Belinda E. Medlyn

  3. Department of Life Sciences, AXA Chair Programme in Biosphere and Climate Impacts, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, SL5 7PY, Ascot, UK

    I. Colin Prentice & Cesar Terrer

Authors
  1. Martin G. De Kauwe
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  2. Trevor F. Keenan
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  3. Belinda E. Medlyn
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  4. I. Colin Prentice
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  5. Cesar Terrer
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Correspondence to Martin G. De Kauwe.

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De Kauwe, M., Keenan, T., Medlyn, B. et al. Satellite based estimates underestimate the effect of CO2 fertilization on net primary productivity. Nature Clim Change 6, 892–893 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3105

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