Vegetation greening drives long-term dust mitigation in Eastern Asia

Nature Communications 2026 Open access

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Authors: Yang Fu, Chenglai Wu, Shan Gao, Josep Peñuelas, J. Julio Camarero, Jingtian Zhang, Dou Li, Xiangyu Zheng, Zhuolun Li, Yafeng Wang, Eryuan Liang, Shilong Piao
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68427-y
Cited by: 6
References: 75

Abstract

Dryland vegetation dynamics play a fundamental role in dust mitigation. While weaker winds have driven recent dust decline in Eastern Asia, the long-term influence of vegetation remains overlooked. Here, using a physically based modeling approach that partitions the drivers of dust emissions across timescales, we reveal that surface wind dominates interannual variability, negatively correlated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, and Pacific Decadal Oscillation. On a multidecadal scale, however, vegetation cover emerges as the key driver, reducing dust emissions by 32.5% since the early 2000s—a trend projected to continue through 2100. Without these vegetation gains, dust emissions would increase under various CMIP6 projections. Vegetation contributions are uneven: greening of perennial dryland vegetation in sparsely vegetated regions (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Atmospheric aerosols and clouds Aeolian processes and effects Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology

Publication details

Journal / source
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
17
Issue
1
Pages
1729–1729
Publication date
27 January 2026
Language
EN