Potential expansion of plants with crassulacean acid metabolism in the Anthropocene

Abstract An overlooked phenomenon is a potential increase in the distribution and abundance of plants with the highly water-usage-efficient crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). In the present article, we critically analyze recent research to investigate to what extent and why CAM plants may have rece...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bioscience 2024-08, Vol.74 (7), p.478-487
Main Authors: Yu, Kailiang, D'Odorico, Paolo, Novoa, Ana, Collins, Scott L, Hartzell, Samantha, Huang, Heng, Liu, Hui, Weigelt, Patrick, Porporato, Amilcare M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropocene
Arid lands
Arid zones
Aridity
Biogeography
Carbon dioxide
Climate change
Climate prediction
Crassulacean acid metabolism
Drought
Metabolism
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Summary:Abstract An overlooked phenomenon is a potential increase in the distribution and abundance of plants with the highly water-usage-efficient crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). In the present article, we critically analyze recent research to investigate to what extent and why CAM plants may have recently expanded their range and abundance under global change. We discuss the ecophysiological and evolutionary mechanisms linked with CAM succulence and the drivers underlying potential CAM expansion, including drought, warming, and atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment. We further map the biogeographic pattern of CAM expansion and show that some CAM plants (e.g., Cylindropuntia, Opuntia, and Agave) are expanding and encroaching within dryland landscapes worldwide. Our results collectively highlight the recent expansion of CAM plants, a trend that could be sustained under increasing aridity with climate change. We recommend that CAM expansion be evaluated in a data-model integrated framework to better understand and predict the ecological and socioeconomic consequences of CAM expansion during the Anthropocene.
ISSN:0006-3568
1525-3244
DOI:10.1093/biosci/biae057