The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat
Abstract Plant physiological responses to rising CO2 have been shown to contribute to increasing extreme heat; but their impacts on co-occurrences of high heat and humidity have not been assessed previously. Since heat stress depends on both, reductions in evapotranspiration and increases in sensibl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01018-8 |
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| author | Ashley E. Cornish Gabriel J. Kooperman Andrew J. Grundstein Christopher B. Skinner Abigail L. S. Swann |
| author_facet | Ashley E. Cornish Gabriel J. Kooperman Andrew J. Grundstein Christopher B. Skinner Abigail L. S. Swann |
| author_sort | Ashley E. Cornish |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Plant physiological responses to rising CO2 have been shown to contribute to increasing extreme heat; but their impacts on co-occurrences of high heat and humidity have not been assessed previously. Since heat stress depends on both, reductions in evapotranspiration and increases in sensible heat can incite competing influences on co-occurrence metrics (e.g., heat index). Here we analyze plant physiological forcing in idealized simulations that isolate plant physiological from radiative impacts of rising CO2. Our results demonstrate that increasing temperature has a larger influence than declining moisture, leading to overall CMIP6 multi-model mean heat index increases. Model differences are driven by varying levels of transpiration decline, which can be partially offset by leaf-area-driven increases in canopy evaporation in some models/regions; as highlighted by differences between two versions of one model (CESM) with high and low levels of leaf-area change. This analysis helps clarify the role of plants in future climate and human health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-89878fcdec94436ea8f6ff29458151a2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2397-3722 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-89878fcdec94436ea8f6ff29458151a22025-08-20T02:55:31ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-05-018111510.1038/s41612-025-01018-8The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heatAshley E. Cornish0Gabriel J. Kooperman1Andrew J. Grundstein2Christopher B. Skinner3Abigail L. S. Swann4Department of Geography, The University of GeorgiaDepartment of Geography, The University of GeorgiaDepartment of Geography, The University of GeorgiaDepartment of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts LowellDepartment of Atmospheric and Climate Science and Department of Biology, University of WashingtonAbstract Plant physiological responses to rising CO2 have been shown to contribute to increasing extreme heat; but their impacts on co-occurrences of high heat and humidity have not been assessed previously. Since heat stress depends on both, reductions in evapotranspiration and increases in sensible heat can incite competing influences on co-occurrence metrics (e.g., heat index). Here we analyze plant physiological forcing in idealized simulations that isolate plant physiological from radiative impacts of rising CO2. Our results demonstrate that increasing temperature has a larger influence than declining moisture, leading to overall CMIP6 multi-model mean heat index increases. Model differences are driven by varying levels of transpiration decline, which can be partially offset by leaf-area-driven increases in canopy evaporation in some models/regions; as highlighted by differences between two versions of one model (CESM) with high and low levels of leaf-area change. This analysis helps clarify the role of plants in future climate and human health.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01018-8 |
| spellingShingle | Ashley E. Cornish Gabriel J. Kooperman Andrew J. Grundstein Christopher B. Skinner Abigail L. S. Swann The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| title | The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat |
| title_full | The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat |
| title_fullStr | The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat |
| title_short | The impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat |
| title_sort | impacts of plant physiological responses to rising co2 on humidity based extreme heat |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01018-8 |
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