Quantifying Global Soil Carbon Losses in Response to Warming

Thomas Crowther

Using functional traits in the search for predictable patterns

in fungal biogeography

Quantifying Global Soil Carbon Losses in Response to Warming

Background

Action without understanding can be ineffective or even damaging

Background

Cane Toads to Australia

?Crowther et al. 2015 Nature

The Billion Tree Campaign

Background

The Trillion Tree Campaign14 Billion new trees

Background

Current (880 Pg)

Global Soil Carbon Sequestration

Background

Future(?)

Global Soil Carbon Sequestration

Background

Potential(?)

Global Soil Carbon Sequestration

Background

Potential(?)

Global Soil Carbon Sequestration

–Future(?) = ?

Friedlingstein et al. 2014, J Climate

Background

Assay temperature (°C)

M

ass

spec

ific

resp

iratio

n (μ

g C

mg–1

h–1

)

Cold-adapted

Warm-adapted

Crowther & Bradford 2013. Ecology Letters

Carbon Feedback

Temperature (°C)

Forests

Log

Res

pira

tion

(µm

ol.m

-2.s

-1)

Temperature (°C)

Log

Res

pira

tion

(µm

ol.m

-2.s-1

)

Grassland

Shrubland

Temperature (°C)

Log

Res

pira

tion

(µm

ol.m

-2.s

-1)

Carey et al. 2016 PNAS Carbon Feedback

Temperate forestBoreal ForestTemperate GrasslandShrublandDesertAgriculturalOther

All Ecosystems

Temperature (°C)

Log

Res

pira

tion

(µm

ol.m

-2.s

-1)

Carey et al. 2016 PNAS Carbon Feedback

Decomposition & Respiration

Photosynthesis

Stabilization

Carbon Feedback

Climate

Topography Vegetation

Soil

Carbon Feedback

Chan

ge in

C st

ock

(gC.c

m-3

.yea

r-1)

Background

Environmental Variables

Carbon Feedback

Mafipulate

49 Studies Carbon Feedback

Crowther et al. (2016). Nature Carbon Feedback

Crowther et al. (2016). Nature Carbon Feedback

Carbon Feedback

Reddit

Yahoo

Crowther et al. (2016). Nature

Carbon FeedbackTodd-Brown & Crowther In review

Forest Management

On-going work

Amendments

Regenerative Agriculture

Restoration

Warming

Nutrient Enrichment

Drought

CO2

Acknowledgements