22-01-2016
The study investigated potential causes for the increased of atmospheric CO2 registered at latitudes further north. This relationship between an amplification of the seasonal CO2 cycle and latitude had not been reproduced by any numerical model however several hypotheses for this increasing had been explored. The used model, in the study, reproduces this trend and allows exploring different hypotheses behind these observations.
The simulations suggest that the increase in atmospheric CO2 fluctuations is mainly linked to changes in the ecosystems of the Arctic and boreal zones, given the effect of global warming in the past four decades in increased photosynthetic activity and vegetation growth. This result is only possible due stimulation of photosynthesis compared to the increased respiratory activity of these ecosystems.
The study relates global warming with a large-scale response in terrestrial ecosystems, pointing to a need for continuous monitoring for change detection and better forecasting of ecosystem response to climate change.
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