Dissimilar roles of aerosols, nitrogen deposition  and ozone on the terrestrial carbon sink  in China during 2010–2020

Xie, Nanhong; Wang, Tijian; Li, Shu; Zhuang, Bingliang; Li, Mengmeng; Xie, Min; Zhang, Qian; Ma, Danyang; Liu, Jane; Chen, Jing M.; Feng, Zhaozhong; Melas, Dimitrios; Karatzas, Kostas

doi:10.5194/acp-26-5925-2026

Articles | Volume 26, issue 9

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5925-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5925-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 26, issue 9

Research article

|

04 May 2026

Research article |

| 04 May 2026

Dissimilar roles of aerosols, nitrogen deposition and ozone on the terrestrial carbon sink in China during 2010–2020

Nanhong Xie, Tijian Wang, Shu Li, Bingliang Zhuang, Mengmeng Li, Min Xie, Qian Zhang, Danyang Ma, Jane Liu, Jing M. Chen, Zhaozhong Feng, Dimitrios Melas, and Kostas Karatzas

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5925-2026-supplement

Data sets

MOD17A2H MODIS/Terra Gross Primary Productivity 8-Day L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 S. Running et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD17A2H.006

MOD08_M3 - MODIS/Terra Aerosol Cloud Water Vapor Ozone Monthly L3 Global 1Deg CMG S. Platnick et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD08_M3.061

Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Dry Air Mole Fractions from the NOAA GML Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1968-2022, Version: 2023-08-28 X. Lan https://doi.org/10.15138/wkgj-f215

ERA-Interim global atmospheric reanalysis D. P. Dee et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f2f5241d

CarbonTracker CT2022 A. R. Jacobson et al. https://doi.org/10.25925/Z1GJ-3254

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Short summary

Since 2013, China’s Clean Air Action has altered land carbon uptake. Our modeling shows that while aerosols and nitrogen deposition previously boosted the carbon sink, their effects have weakened. Conversely, ozone's negative impact has grown. This shifts the overall atmospheric influence from enhancement to suppression. Controlling ozone is thus key for dual benefits in clean air and carbon neutrality.