Dynamic vegetation enhances global warming and accelerates soil carbon decomposition

We used an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) coupled interactively to a dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) in order to quantify the climate feedback caused by changes in the distribution of vegetation under quadrupled atmospheric CO2 concentration relative to preindustrial value. With the introduction of dynamic vegetation, global warming is amplified by approximately 10%, and total terrestrial carbon storage is reduced by 12%, primarily due to the amplification of warming caused by albedo feedback related to forest change at high latitudes (e.g., tundra to taiga) and accelerated soil carbon decomposition at northern middle and high latitudes. We also performed an additional experiment without the fertilization effect due to elevated atmospheric CO2. The result of this additional experiment indicates the vegetation change in arid and semi-arid regions in low latitudes also contributes the amplification of warming and acceleration of soil carbon decomposition.