<p>Rapid global warming significantly affects terrestrial carbon (C) cycling, altering climate feedbacks and amplifying uncertainty in ecosystem C balance projection under future climates. Although the direct impacts of warming on ecosystem C fluxes through changes in temperature and moisture are well studied, the indirect effects mediated by warming-induced shifts in plant communities remain poorly understood. A key challenge lies in quantifying these community-level changes under warming and linking them to ecosystem C cycling. Traditional frameworks based on broad functional groups or life forms often fail to capture species-specific responses to warming. In contrast, plant traits provide a mechanistic understanding of how plant species and communities respond to warming and regulate ecosystem C fluxes. This review highlights the potential of a trait-based framework to bridge this knowledge gap, unifying plant community responses to warming with their impacts on ecosystem C fluxes. By identifying key community-level traits and/or trait combinations, such a framework can improve predictions of ecosystem C cycling and improve model performance under future climate scenarios.</p>