2025-11-05 中国科学院(CAS)
Deep-rooted plants and carbon sequestration in arid ecosystems. (Image by XIEG)
<関連情報>
- https://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/earth/202511/t20251113_1115225.shtml
- https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/abstract/S1360-1385(25)00291-2
乾燥地の守護者:砂漠化と気候変動に対する根深い防御 Guardians of arid lands: deep-rooted defense against desertification and climate change
Akash Tariq ∙ Yanju Gao ∙ Fanjiang Zeng ∙ … ∙ Corina Graciano ∙ Alice C. Hughes ∙ Josep Peñuelas
Trends in Plant Science Published:October 31, 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2025.10.009
Highlights
Deep-rooted plants (DRPs) are keystone species in arid ecosystems, stabilizing soils, sequestering carbon, and combating desertification through adaptations such as rapid root growth and hydraulic lift, crucial for climate resilience.
DRPs enhance ecosystem services and socioeconomic benefits, supporting biodiversity, groundwater remediation, and local livelihoods.
Climate change and human activities threaten the survival of DRPs through groundwater depletion, overgrazing, and increasing aridity, underscoring the need for urgent conservation strategies.
Trade-offs in water use underscore the dual role of DRPs: their deep roots reduce surface irrigation needs but may compete with agriculture, emphasizing the need for balanced water management in arid areas.
DRPs support global sustainability goals: aiding in carbon sequestration, achieving land degradation neutrality, and meeting biodiversity targets under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting their policy significance.
Abstract
Deep-rooted plants (DRPs) are vital ecological engineers in arid regions, combating desertification through distinctive adaptations such as rapid root growth and hydraulic lift. By tapping into groundwater beyond a depth of 5 m, they stabilize soils, sequester carbon, and support biodiversity, while delivering socioeconomic benefits. Despite their resilience, DRPs are increasingly threatened by climate change and pressure of human activities such as overgrazing. In this feature review we consolidate the vital roles of DRPs in ecosystem services and land restoration, advocating for conservation strategies that integrate drip irrigation, rotational grazing policies, and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) targets. We highlight the potential of DRPs to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN) and urge prompt research and management actions to safeguard these keystone species in our climate change adaptation toolkit for drylands.
