Increased Global Vegetation Productivity Despite Rising Atmospheric Dryness Over the Last Two Decades

Rising atmospheric dryness [vapor pressure deficit (VPD)] can limit photosynthesis and thus reduce vegetation productivity. Meanwhile, plants benefit from global warming the fertilization effect of carbon dioxide (CO2). There are growing interests to study climate change impacts on terrestrial vegetation. However, productivity responses recent CO2 trends remain be fully understood. Here, we provide a comprehensive evaluation relative VPD, temperature, concentration over last two decades using robust ensemble solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) gross primary (GPP) data. We document significant increase in with rising this period. For SIF (or GPP), decrease due VPD was comparable but far less than elevated concentration. found that counteracted only small proportion (approximately 8.1%–15.0%) CO2-induced GPP). Despite sharp rise imposing negative impact plants, effects contributed persistent widespread majority 66.5%–72.2%) globally vegetated areas. Overall, our findings quantitative attribution under concurrent increasing.