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Liu J, Li D, Chen H, Wang H, Wada Y, Kummu M, Gosling SN, Yang H, Pokhrel Y, Ciais P. Timing the first emergence and disappearance of global water scarcity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7129. [PMID: 39164230 PMCID: PMC11336099 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Alleviating water scarcity is at the core of Sustainable Development Goal 6. Yet the timing of water scarcity in its onset and possible relief in different regions of the world due to climate change and changing human population dynamics remains poorly investigated. Here we assess the timing of the first emergence of water scarcity (FirstWS) and disappearance of water scarcity (EndWS), by using ensembles of simulations with six Global Hydrological Models under two representative concentration pathways (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP6.0) combined with two shared socioeconomic pathways (i.e., SSP2, SSP3) for 1901-2090. Historically (1901-2020), FirstWS occurred predominantly in Asia (e.g., China and India) and Africa (e.g., East Africa); the peak time of emerging water scarcity began around the 1980s. Under all the four future RCPs-SSPs scenarios (2021-2090), FirstWS will likely occur mainly in some regions of Africa, for which the newly added area is double that in Asia. On the other hand, EndWS will mostly occur in China after 2050, primarily due to the projected declining population. We, therefore, call for specific attention and effort to adapt to the looming water scarcity in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junguo Liu
- Yellow River Research Institute, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, China.
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Hydrosphere and Watershed Water Security, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Delong Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - He Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hong Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yoshihide Wada
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Matti Kummu
- Water & Development Research Group, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | | | - Hong Yang
- 2W2W Consulting, GmbH, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - Yadu Pokhrel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Philippe Ciais
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA CNRS UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Gurung K, Field KJ, Batterman SA, Poulton SW, Mills BJW. Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1805. [PMID: 38418475 PMCID: PMC10901853 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46105-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Long computation times in vegetation and climate models hamper our ability to evaluate the potentially powerful role of plants on weathering and carbon sequestration over the Phanerozoic Eon. Simulated vegetation over deep time is often homogenous, and disregards the spatial distribution of plants and the impact of local climatic variables on plant function. Here we couple a fast vegetation model (FLORA) to a spatially-resolved long-term climate-biogeochemical model (SCION), to assess links between plant geographical range, the long-term carbon cycle and climate. Model results show lower rates of carbon fixation and up to double the previously predicted atmospheric CO2 concentration due to a limited plant geographical range over the arid Pangea supercontinent. The Mesozoic dispersion of the continents increases modelled plant geographical range from 65% to > 90%, amplifying global CO2 removal, consistent with geological data. We demonstrate that plant geographical range likely exerted a major, under-explored control on long-term climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Gurung
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Katie J Field
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sarah A Batterman
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama, USA
| | - Simon W Poulton
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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Falquetto-Gomes P, Silva WJ, Siqueira JA, Araújo WL, Nunes-Nesi A. From epidermal cells to functional pores: Understanding stomatal development. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 292:154163. [PMID: 38118303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2023.154163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Stomata, small hydromechanical valves in the leaf epidermis, are fundamental in regulating gas exchange and water loss between plants and the environment. Stomatal development involves a series of coordinated events ranging from the initial cell division that determines the meristemoid mother cells to forming specialized structures such as guard cells. These events are orchestrated by the transcription factors SPEECHLESS, FAMA, and MUTE through signaling networks. The role of plant hormones (e.g., abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, and brassinosteroids) in regulating stomatal development has been elucidated through these signaling cascades. In addition, environmental factors, such as light availability and CO2 concentration, also regulate the density and distribution of stomata in leaves, ultimately affecting overall water use efficiency. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms underlying stomatal development, connecting key signaling processes that activate or inhibit cell differentiation responsible for forming guard cells in the leaf epidermis. The factors responsible for integrating transcription factors, hormonal responses, and the influence of climatic factors on the signaling network that leads to stomatal development in plants are further discussed. Understanding the intricate connections between these factors, including the metabolic regulation of plant development, may enable us to maximize plant productivity under specific environmental conditions in changing climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Falquetto-Gomes
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Plant Physiology Under Stress Conditions, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Welson Júnior Silva
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Plant Physiology Under Stress Conditions, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Antonio Siqueira
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Plant Physiology Under Stress Conditions, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wagner L Araújo
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Plant Physiology Under Stress Conditions, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Adriano Nunes-Nesi
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Plant Physiology Under Stress Conditions, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Salles T, Husson L, Lorcery M, Hadler Boggiani B. Landscape dynamics and the Phanerozoic diversification of the biosphere. Nature 2023; 624:115-121. [PMID: 38030724 PMCID: PMC10700141 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06777-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The long-term diversification of the biosphere responds to changes in the physical environment. Yet, over the continents, the nearly monotonic expansion of life started later in the early part of the Phanerozoic eon1 than the expansion in the marine realm, where instead the number of genera waxed and waned over time2. A comprehensive evaluation of the changes in the geodynamic and climatic forcing fails to provide a unified theory for the long-term pattern of evolution of life on Earth. Here we couple climate and plate tectonics models to numerically reconstruct the evolution of the Earth's landscape over the entire Phanerozoic eon, which we then compare to palaeo-diversity datasets from marine animal and land plant genera. Our results indicate that biodiversity is strongly reliant on landscape dynamics, which at all times determine the carrying capacity of both the continental domain and the oceanic domain. In the oceans, diversity closely adjusted to the riverine sedimentary flux that provides nutrients for primary production. On land, plant expansion was hampered by poor edaphic conditions until widespread endorheic basins resurfaced continents with a sedimentary cover that facilitated the development of soil-dependent rooted flora, and the increasing variety of the landscape additionally promoted their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Salles
- School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Laurent Husson
- CNRS, ISTerre, Université Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France.
| | - Manon Lorcery
- School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- CNRS, ISTerre, Université Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
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Yuan W, Liu M, Chen D, Xing YW, Spicer RA, Chen J, Them TR, Wang X, Li S, Guo C, Zhang G, Zhang L, Zhang H, Feng X. Mercury isotopes show vascular plants had colonized land extensively by the early Silurian. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade9510. [PMID: 37115923 PMCID: PMC10146902 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade9510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The colonization and expansion of plants on land is considered one of the most profound ecological revolutions, yet the precise timing remains controversial. Because land vegetation can enhance weathering intensity and affect terrigenous input to the ocean, changes in terrestrial plant biomass with distinct negative Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg signatures may overwrite the positive Hg isotope signatures commonly found in marine sediments. By investigating secular Hg isotopic variations in the Paleozoic marine sediments from South China and peripheral paleocontinents, we highlight distinct negative excursions in both Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg at Stage level starting in the early Silurian and again in the Carboniferous. These geochemical signatures were driven by increased terrestrial contribution of Hg due to the rapid expansion of vascular plants. These excursions broadly coincide with rising atmospheric oxygen concentrations and global cooling. Therefore, vascular plants were widely distributed on land during the Ordovician-Silurian transition (~444 million years), long before the earliest reported vascular plant fossil, Cooksonia (~430 million years).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Mu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Daizhao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Corresponding author. (X.F.); (D.C.)
| | - Yao-Wu Xing
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Robert A. Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jitao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
- Nanjing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China
| | - Theodore R. Them
- Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, USA
| | - Xun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Shizhen Li
- Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chuan Guo
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Gongjing Zhang
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Liyu Zhang
- Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology, Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, SINOPEC, Wuxi 214126, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Corresponding author. (X.F.); (D.C.)
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