Global phosphorus limitation on vegetation growth will be aggravated by soil erosion

Global change is expected to lead to an increase in soil erosion in the future, thereby accelerating soil degradation and phosphorus loss. However, the impact of soil erosion and the resultant phosphorus loss on vegetation growth remains unclear. Here, we have developed a global soil erosion dynamic atlas with a spatial resolution of 0.05°×0.05° for the years 1992-2100, predicting a slight increasing trend towards the end of this century (1.83×10-3 t km-2 yr-1), which will lead to a global loss of 4.22 kg ha-1 yr-1 of phosphorus. The phosphorus loss due to soil erosion weakens the sustainability of vegetation growth, with a relative contribution rate of about 18%. Moreover, the negative contribution of phosphorus loss to NPP offsets the positive contribution area of climate factors by 23%. This study highlights the phosphorus loss related to soil erosion and its impact on vegetation growth, providing a scientific basis for management strategies for vegetation growth.