Articles | Volume 22, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-7031-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-7031-2025
Research article
 | 
21 Nov 2025
Research article |  | 21 Nov 2025

Strong relation between atmospheric CO2 growth rate and terrestrial water storage in tropical forests on interannual timescales

Samantha Petch, Liang Feng, Paul I. Palmer, Robert P. King, Tristan Quaife, and Keith Haines

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Water and energy budgets over hydrological basins on short and long timescales
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Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 1723–1744, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1723-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1723-2023, 2023
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Cited articles

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The growth rate of atmospheric CO2 varies year to year, mainly due to land ecosystems. Understanding factors controlling the land carbon uptake is crucial. Our study examines the link between terrestrial water storage and the CO2 growth rate from 2002–2023, revealing a strong negative correlation. We highlight the key role of tropical forests, especially in tropical America, and assess how regional contributions shift over time.
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