Human-induced biospheric carbon sink: Impact from the Taklamakan Afforestation Project

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Noor, Salma; Jiang, Xun; Wang, Xinyue; Yang, Jiani; Newman, Sally; Li, King -Fai; Li, Liming; Yu, Le; Li, Xiyu; Yung, Yuk L.
• 署名单位: University of Houston System; University of Houston; California Institute of Technology; University of California System; University of California Riverside; University of Houston System; University of Houston; Tsinghua University; Tsinghua University; Tsinghua University
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2523388123
• 发表日期: 2026-01-27
• 页码: e2523388123
• 关键词: Taklamakan Desert; carbon sequestration; enhanced photosynthetic activity; sequestration; observatory-2; co2

摘要

The Taklamakan Desert, one of the world's largest and driest deserts, has traditionally been considered a biological void. Here, we demonstrate that large-scale ecological restoration is transforming this hyperarid environment into a carbon sink. By analyzing satellite and ground-based data, we find strong seasonal dynamics: During the wet season (Jul to Sep), precipitation increases to 16.3 mm/mo, enhancing vegetation coverage and photosynthetic activity and drawing down atmospheric CO2 by approximately three parts per million (ppm) relative to the dry-season levels. Long-term trends reveal significant increases in vegetation cover (6.8 & times; 10-4/y) and photosynthetic activity (6.1 & times; 10-3 W/m2/sr/& micro;m/y), accompanied by a strengthening net CO2 uptake (NEE trend: -5.2 & times; 10-12 kg/m2/s/y). These changes are spatially concentrated along the desert margins and their timing aligns with implementation of China's Three-North Shelterbelt Program. Our results provide the direct evidence that human-led intervention can effectively enhance carbon sequestration in even the most extreme arid landscapes, demonstrating the potential to transform a desert into a carbon sink and halt desertification. This underscores the critical role of dryland restoration in global carbon management strategies and highlights the Taklamakan Desert as a model for climate change mitigation through nature-based solutions and ecological engineering.