How are aerosols reshaping vegetation growth across China?

China’s large-scale clean-air policies may be generating important ecological benefits alongside improvements in public health, according to a new study published in Forest Ecosystems.

Researchers from Beijing Normal University and Guangxi Normal University found that reductions in aerosol pollution since 2013 have significantly weakened the negative effects of atmospheric particles on vegetation growth and ecosystem productivity across China.

The study analyzed satellite observations and atmospheric datasets spanning 2002 to 2022 to investigate how aerosols influence terrestrial ecosystems under different environmental conditions. They found that aerosols generally suppress vegetation growth by reducing available sunlight and increasing environmental stress. However, after the implementation of China’s major air pollution control measures beginning in 2013, these harmful effects declined substantially.

"Cleaning up the air has done more than just improve public health. Our study shows it has also helped ecosystems function better," said Xiuting Lai, the first author from Beijing Normal University.

However, the study found that not all plants respond to air pollution in the same way, and not all regions are affected equally. In southern China, including the Sichuan Basin, aerosol pollution was closely associated with reduced vegetation growth and photosynthetic activity. In contrast, some arid and semi-arid regions in northern China and the Tibetan Plateau showed more complex responses, where aerosols may help reduce water stress by lowering surface radiation and atmospheric dryness.

Different vegetation types exhibited varying levels of sensitivity. Needleleaf forests, wetlands, meadows, and shrublands were found to be particularly vulnerable to aerosol stress. In contrast, mixed forests showed evidence of benefiting from certain levels of aerosols because the particles scatter sunlight. This scattered light penetrates deeper into the forest canopy, reaching leaves that would otherwise stay in the shade.

One of the study’s most notable findings involved steppe ecosystems. Prior to 2013, aerosols were associated with lower ecosystem productivity in these grasslands. After air quality improvements, these same ecosystems switched to responding positively to the remaining aerosol levels.

"The relationship between air pollution and plants is complicated," said Hao Fan, corresponding author of the study. "Aerosols don't just suppress plants in a simple way. They can change how efficiently plants use light and water. We should include this complexity in Earth system models in order to make accurate predictions."

The researchers also looked at surface ozone, another common pollutant in China. Unlike aerosols, ozone showed mostly positive correlations with plant growth across the country. The authors caution that this does not mean ozone is good for plants, rather, the sunny conditions that create ozone also help plants grow, which may temporarily mask ozone's toxic effects.

The key takeaway is clear: reducing air pollution benefits nature as well as people. As China continues to implement clean air policies, the country's vegetation is already showing signs of recovery from decades of pollution stress.

DOI Link:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2026.100452