journalㄩNature climate change
Authors: Xinli Chen (麻陓薯), Han Y. H. Chen, Katherine S. Rocci, Kally Worm, Liting Zheng (痑璨磌) & Peter B. Reich
Published dateㄩ2026-6-
DOIㄩ10.1038/s41558-026-02678-x
Article linkㄩhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02678-x
Abstract
The strength and stability of the terrestrial carbon (C) sink depend critically on total belowground C allocation (TBCA), yet its long-term response to several co-occurring global change drivers remains largely unknown. Here, using an 11-year multifactor grassland experiment, we examined the individual and interactive effects of +2.5 ∼C warming, summer rainfall reduction, CO2 enrichment and nitrogen addition on the TBCA. Warming and CO2 enrichment increased TBCA by 17% and 16%, respectively, and these gains interacted with other drivers. The effects of CO2 enrichment were amplified under drought, the effects of warming strengthened with nitrogen addition, and the interaction between CO2 enrichment and nitrogen addition on TBCA strengthened over time from additive to synergistic. Moreover, TBCA was positively linked to soil respiration, C stock and plant nitrogen uptake. Together, TBCA responses to global change drivers are non-additive and shift over time, and elevated CO2 and warming promote soil C gains synergistically when nitrogen availability is high.
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