A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that variations in terrestrial surface wind speed exert a substantial influence on global vegetation productivity, reshaping how land ecosystems absorb and store carbon. 

 Traditionally, the strengthening of the terrestrial carbon sink has been attributed to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, climate warming, and nitrogen deposition. However, wind speed—an essential meteorological factor regulating gas exchange, evapotranspiration, and plant water status—has received little attention. Global surface winds weakened markedly before 2010, showed a partial recovery afterward, and are projected to decline again later this century. 

 Researchers led by Prof. FU Congsheng from the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGLAS), integrated reanalysis, satellite, eddy-covariance, and CMIP6 model datasets to evaluate the sensitivity of global ecosystems carbon uptake to wind speed changes from 1983 to 2100. The study reveals that lower wind speeds increase canopy humidity and soil moisture, reduce vapor pressure deficit, and enhance stomatal conductance—collectively stimulating photosynthesis despite increased boundary-layer resistance. 

Between 1983 and 2010, the observed decline in wind speed contributed approximately 6–8% of the global increase in gross primary productivity (GPP), second only to the CO₂ fertilization effect. Grassland ecosystems exhibited the strongest response, with wind speed variations explaining up to 70% of productivity increases. Model projections further indicate that this sensitivity will strengthen throughout the 21st century, implying that continued wind stilling could enhance terrestrial carbon uptake in the future. 

 “Surface wind speed is not merely a background climate variable but a key regulator of land carbon fluxes,” said Dr. WU Haohao, the first of the study. 

 “Neglecting wind speed effects may lead to systematic biases in carbon cycle projections, particularly in grassland ecosystems,” added Prof. FU Congsheng, the study's corresponding author. 

 Researchers from Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences (France), Princeton University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Sun Yat-sen University also contributed to the study.

Coniferous–Broadleaf Mixed Forests in Northeast China (Photo by Wu Haohao)