title: CO2 leakage-induced vegetation decline is primarily driven by decreased soil O2.
abstract: To assess the potential risks of carbon capture and storage (CCS), studies have focused on vegetation decline caused by leaking CO2. Excess soil CO2 caused by leakage can affect soil O2 concentrations and soil pH, but how these two factors affect plant development remains poorly understood. This hinders the selection of appropriate species to mitigate potential negative consequences of CCS. Through pot experiments, we simulated CO2 leakage to examine its effects on soil pH and soil O2 concentrations. We subsequently assessed how maize growth responded to these changes in soil pH and O2. Decreased soil O2 concentrations significantly reduced maize biomass, and explained 69% of the biomass variation under CO2 leakage conditions. In contrast, although leaked CO2 changed soil pH significantly (from 7.32 to 6.75), it remained within the optimum soil pH range for maize growth. This suggests that soil O2 concentration, not soil pH, influences plant growth in these conditions. Therefore, in case of potential CO2 leakage risks, hypoxia-tolerant species should be chosen to improve plant survival, growth, and yield.
authors.affiliation: Chinese Meteorological Society, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xueyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Climate Change, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China; Laboratory of Agricultural Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, 100081, Beijing, China. Electronic address: maxin02@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Collage of Geography Sciences and Tourism, Xing Jiang Normal University, 830054, Urumqi, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Engineering Consulting Centre, China Meteorological Administration, 100081, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Climate Change, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China; Laboratory of Agricultural Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, 100081, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D057965:Carbon Sequestration; D002681:China; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Carbon capture and storage; Environmental impacts; Leaked CO(2); Maize; Soil anaerobic conditions; Soil pH