Linking plant functional traits with ecosystem carbon fluxes in response to climate warming

Abstract

Rapid global warming significantly affects terrestrial carbon (C) cycling, altering climate feedbacks and amplifying uncertainty in ecosystem C balance projection under future climates. Although the direct impacts of warming on ecosystem C fluxes through changes in temperature and moisture are well studied, the indirect effects mediated by warming-induced shifts in plant communities remain poorly understood. A key challenge lies in quantifying these community-level changes under warming and linking them to ecosystem C cycling. Traditional frameworks based on broad functional groups or life forms often fail to capture species-specific responses to warming. In contrast, plant traits provide a mechanistic understanding of how plant species and communities respond to warming and regulate ecosystem C fluxes. This review highlights the potential of a trait-based framework to bridge this knowledge gap, unifying plant community responses to warming with their impacts on ecosystem C fluxes. By identifying key community-level traits and/or trait combinations, such a framework can improve predictions of ecosystem C cycling and improve model performance under future climate scenarios.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

plant traits / community traits / ecosystem carbon fluxes / climate warming

References

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