Interactive Influences of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and Temperature on Phosphorus Acquisition of Crops and its Availability in Soil: A Review

Global climate change escalates the rise of atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature, which impact crop production in agricultural ecosystems. As the second important macronutrient, phosphorus (P) fundamentally mediates the crop adaptability to climate change. An overview on previous work on crop P acquisition and soil P dynamics in responses to elevated CO2 and temperature would be critical for further advancing our knowledge on P cycling under climate change and its management to maintain agroecosystem sustainability. This review focuses on the effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on root morphology, root exudation, and associated biochemical properties in the rhizosphere in relevant to crop P acquisition and soil P availability. Studies indicate that elevated CO2 and temperature could increase P uptake of crops, such as rice and soybean when crops are grown within the range of optimal growth temperature. Elevated CO2 and temperature not only alter root exudates and changes the activity of soil enzymes and microbes the in rhizosphere environment, but also directly influence soil chemical and biochemical processes and thus the bioavailability of P. It is worth to focus on P-solubilizing microbial community composition, and microbial function on soil P mobilization in the rhizosphere of crops grown under climate change.