Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems

Abstract The seasonal peak of vegetation photosynthesis is a key indicator of terrestrial ecosystem productivity. Water availability and temperature are the primary factors limiting vegetation photosynthesis. In this study, we used solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence as a proxy for photosynthesis...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xingan Chen, Yuefei Huang, Shuo Zhang, Yuting Yang, Shen Tan, Chong Nie, Guangqian Wang, Zhichao Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114461
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849389599702384640
author Xingan Chen
Yuefei Huang
Shuo Zhang
Yuting Yang
Shen Tan
Chong Nie
Guangqian Wang
Zhichao Chen
author_facet Xingan Chen
Yuefei Huang
Shuo Zhang
Yuting Yang
Shen Tan
Chong Nie
Guangqian Wang
Zhichao Chen
author_sort Xingan Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The seasonal peak of vegetation photosynthesis is a key indicator of terrestrial ecosystem productivity. Water availability and temperature are the primary factors limiting vegetation photosynthesis. In this study, we used solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence as a proxy for photosynthesis to investigate water and temperature constraints on peak vegetation photosynthesis across northern ecosystems (north of 30°N). We observed a marked expansion of water‐constrained zones in northern ecosystems over the past two decades. We identified a general relationship between mean annual temperature and precipitation that effectively distinguishes between temperature‐ and water‐constrained ecosystems. This relationship enabled us to project future shifts in these constraints under different climate change scenarios. Our results indicate that water‐constrained regions are projected to expand from 31% to 40%, excluding no‐data areas, under the moderate climate scenario (SSP245) and to 53% under the high‐emissions scenario (SSP585) by 2100, with complementary shrinkage of temperature‐constrained regions.
format Article
id doaj-art-b8f7e0bc648d4c8698e46a2d9389bed8
institution Kabale University
issn 0094-8276
1944-8007
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-b8f7e0bc648d4c8698e46a2d9389bed82025-08-20T03:41:54ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-08-015215n/an/a10.1029/2024GL114461Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern EcosystemsXingan Chen0Yuefei Huang1Shuo Zhang2Yuting Yang3Shen Tan4Chong Nie5Guangqian Wang6Zhichao Chen7State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering Department of Hydraulic Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering Department of Hydraulic Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering Department of Hydraulic Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering Department of Hydraulic Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory to Efficient Production of Forest Resources College of Forestry Beijing Forestry University Beijing ChinaChinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering Department of Hydraulic Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering Department of Hydraulic Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing ChinaAbstract The seasonal peak of vegetation photosynthesis is a key indicator of terrestrial ecosystem productivity. Water availability and temperature are the primary factors limiting vegetation photosynthesis. In this study, we used solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence as a proxy for photosynthesis to investigate water and temperature constraints on peak vegetation photosynthesis across northern ecosystems (north of 30°N). We observed a marked expansion of water‐constrained zones in northern ecosystems over the past two decades. We identified a general relationship between mean annual temperature and precipitation that effectively distinguishes between temperature‐ and water‐constrained ecosystems. This relationship enabled us to project future shifts in these constraints under different climate change scenarios. Our results indicate that water‐constrained regions are projected to expand from 31% to 40%, excluding no‐data areas, under the moderate climate scenario (SSP245) and to 53% under the high‐emissions scenario (SSP585) by 2100, with complementary shrinkage of temperature‐constrained regions.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114461water constraintpeak photosynthesissolar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence
spellingShingle Xingan Chen
Yuefei Huang
Shuo Zhang
Yuting Yang
Shen Tan
Chong Nie
Guangqian Wang
Zhichao Chen
Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems
Geophysical Research Letters
water constraint
peak photosynthesis
solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence
title Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems
title_full Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems
title_fullStr Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems
title_full_unstemmed Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems
title_short Projected Strengthening of Water Constraint on Seasonal Peak Photosynthesis Under Climatic Warming in Northern Ecosystems
title_sort projected strengthening of water constraint on seasonal peak photosynthesis under climatic warming in northern ecosystems
topic water constraint
peak photosynthesis
solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114461
work_keys_str_mv AT xinganchen projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT yuefeihuang projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT shuozhang projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT yutingyang projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT shentan projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT chongnie projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT guangqianwang projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems
AT zhichaochen projectedstrengtheningofwaterconstraintonseasonalpeakphotosynthesisunderclimaticwarminginnorthernecosystems