Low atmospheric CO2 levels during the Little Ice Age due to cooling-induced terrestrial uptake

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dc.contributor.authorRubino, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorEtheridge, DMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTrudinger, CMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorAllison, CEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorRayner, PJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorEnting, Ien_AU
dc.contributor.authorMulvaney, Ren_AU
dc.contributor.authorSteele, LPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLangenfelds, RLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSturges, WTen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCurran, MAJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSmith, AMen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-28T03:59:59Zen_AU
dc.date.available2017-04-28T03:59:59Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2016-07-25en_AU
dc.date.statistics2017-04-28en_AU
dc.description.abstractLow atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration1 during the Little Ice Age has been used to derive the global carbon cycle sensitivity to temperature2. Recent evidence3 confirms earlier indications4 that the low CO2 was caused by increased terrestrial carbon storage. It remains unknown whether the terrestrial biosphere responded to temperature variations, or there was vegetation re-growth on abandoned farmland5. Here we present a global numerical simulation of atmospheric carbonyl sulfide concentrations in the pre-industrial period. Carbonyl sulfide concentration is linked to changes in gross primary production6 and shows a positive anomaly7 during the Little Ice Age. We show that a decrease in gross primary production and a larger decrease in ecosystem respiration is the most likely explanation for the decrease in atmospheric CO2 and increase in atmospheric carbonyl sulfide concentrations. Therefore, temperature change, not vegetation re-growth, was the main cause of the increased terrestrial carbon storage. We address the inconsistency between ice-core CO2 records from different sites8 measuring CO2 and δ13CO2 in ice from Dronning Maud Land (Antarctica). Our interpretation allows us to derive the temperature sensitivity of pre-industrial CO2 fluxes for the terrestrial biosphere (γL = −10 to −90 Pg C K−1), implying a positive climate feedback and providing a benchmark to reduce model uncertainties. © 2016, Nature Publishing Group.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationRubino, M., Etheridge, D. M., Trudinger, C. M., Allison, C. E., Rayner, P. J., Enting, I., Mulvaney, L. P., Langenfelds, R. L., Sturges, W. T., Curran, M. A. J., & Smith, A. M. (2016). Low atmospheric CO2 levels during the Little Ice Age due to cooling-induced terrestrial uptake. Nature Geoscience, 9(9), 691-694. doi:10.1038/ngeo2769en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc7460en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1752-0908en_AU
dc.identifier.issue9en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleNature Geoscienceen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination691-694en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2769en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/8642en_AU
dc.identifier.volume9en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherSpringer Natureen_AU
dc.subjectIceen_AU
dc.subjectTerrestrial ecosystemsen_AU
dc.subjectAtmospheresen_AU
dc.subjectCarbon dioxideen_AU
dc.subjectCarbon oxysulfideen_AU
dc.subjectClimatesen_AU
dc.titleLow atmospheric CO2 levels during the Little Ice Age due to cooling-induced terrestrial uptakeen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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