Remote Sensing,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
15(8), P. 1969 - 1969
Published: April 7, 2023
Monitoring
forest
conditions
is
an
essential
task
in
the
context
of
global
climate
change
to
preserve
biodiversity,
protect
carbon
sinks
and
foster
future
resilience.
Severe
impacts
heatwaves
droughts
triggering
cascading
effects
such
as
insect
infestation
are
challenging
semi-natural
forests
Germany.
As
a
consequence
repeated
drought
years
since
2018,
large-scale
canopy
cover
loss
has
occurred
calling
for
improved
disturbance
monitoring
assessment
structure
conditions.
The
present
study
demonstrates
potential
complementary
remote
sensing
sensors
generate
wall-to-wall
products
combination
high
spatial
temporal
resolution
imagery
from
Sentinel-1
(Synthetic
Aperture
Radar,
SAR)
Sentinel-2
(multispectral)
with
novel
samples
on
Global
Ecosystem
Dynamics
Investigation
(GEDI,
LiDAR,
Light
detection
ranging)
enables
analysis
dynamics.
Modeling
three-dimensional
GEDI
machine
learning
models
reveals
recent
changes
German
due
disturbances
(e.g.,
degradation,
salvage
logging).
This
first
consistent
data
set
Germany
2017
2022
provides
information
height,
biomass
allows
estimating
at
10
m
resolution.
maps
support
better
understanding
post-disturbance
Forests,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
14(2), P. 248 - 248
Published: Jan. 28, 2023
A
combined
severe
heatwave
and
drought,
starting
in
2018
lasting
for
several
months,
restarted
the
discussion
on
resistance
of
European
beech
to
climatic
changes,
with
growth
reductions,
early
leaf
senescence,
browning,
diebacks
reported
across
Central
Europe.
These
responses
may
result
long-term
impacts
such
as
reduced
vitality
beech,
especially
under
potential
future
drought
periods.
While
2003
caused
crown
damage
defoliation
a
loss
vitality,
resulting
insect
fungal
infestations
subsequent
dieback,
was
even
more
terms
geographical
scale,
duration,
intensity
reports
complete
mortality
were
exacerbated
some
regions
by
consecutive
2019
secondary
attacks
from
pathogens,
well
further
vitality.
Such
enhanced
exposure
trees
could
push
them
beyond
their
hydraulic
safety
margins.
Moreover,
legacy
effects
due
past
droughts
lead
lower
recovery
over
time,
potentially
leading
tree
death.
In
order
better
predict
Europe,
both
short-
influence
post-drought
should
be
explored,
adaptive
forest
management
strategies
evaluated.
synergistic
or
additive
interactions
biotic
disturbances,
require
investigation.
Long-term
monitoring
data
facilitates
investigations
beech.
Global Change Biology,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
30(3)
Published: March 1, 2024
Abstract
It
is
well
known
that
biodiversity
positively
affects
ecosystem
functioning,
leading
to
enhanced
stability.
However,
this
knowledge
mainly
based
on
analyses
using
single
functions,
while
studies
focusing
the
stability
of
multifunctionality
(EMF)
are
rare.
Taking
advantage
a
long‐term
grassland
experiment,
we
studied
effect
plant
diversity
(1–60
species)
EMF
over
5
years,
its
temporal
stability,
as
multifunctional
resistance
and
resilience
2‐year
drought
event.
Using
split‐plot
treatments,
further
tested
whether
shared
history
plants
soil
influences
relationships.
We
calculated
functions
related
higher‐trophic
levels.
Plant
in
all
strengthened
study
period.
Moreover,
increased
fostered
reoccurring
events.
Old
communities
with
showed
stronger
diversity–multifunctionality
relationship
higher
than
younger
without
histories.
Our
results
highlight
importance
old
biodiverse
for
extreme
climate
events
world
increasingly
threatened
by
global
change.
Natural hazards and earth system sciences,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
25(1), P. 77 - 117
Published: Jan. 6, 2025
Abstract.
Drought
and
heat
events
in
Europe
are
becoming
increasingly
frequent
due
to
human-induced
climate
change,
impacting
both
human
well-being
ecosystem
functioning.
The
intensity
effects
of
these
vary
across
the
continent,
making
it
crucial
for
decision-makers
understand
spatial
variability
drought
impacts.
Data
on
drought-related
damage
currently
dispersed
scientific
publications,
government
reports,
media
outlets.
This
study
consolidates
data
European
forests
from
2018
2022,
using
Europe-wide
datasets
including
those
related
crown
defoliation,
insect
damage,
burnt
forest
areas,
tree
cover
loss.
data,
covering
16
countries,
were
analysed
four
regions,
northern,
central,
Alpine,
southern,
compared
with
a
reference
period
2010
2014.
Findings
reveal
that
all
zones
experienced
reduced
vitality
elevated
temperatures,
varying
severity.
Central
showed
highest
vulnerability,
coniferous
deciduous
trees.
southern
zone,
while
affected
by
loss,
demonstrated
greater
resilience,
likely
historical
exposure.
northern
zone
is
experiencing
emerging
impacts
less
severely,
possibly
site-adapted
boreal
species,
Alpine
minimal
impact,
suggesting
protective
effect
altitude.
Key
trends
include
(1)
significant
loss
zones;
(2)
high
levels
despite
2021
being
an
average
year,
indicating
lasting
previous
years;
(3)
notable
challenges
central
Sweden
bark
beetle
infestations;
(4)
no
increase
wildfire
severity
ongoing
challenges.
Based
this
assessment,
we
conclude
(i)
highly
vulnerable
heat,
even
resilient
ecosystems
at
risk
severe
damage;
(ii)
tailored
strategies
essential
mitigate
change
forests,
incorporating
regional
differences
resilience;
(iii)
effective
management
requires
harmonised
collection
enhanced
monitoring
address
future
comprehensively.
Hydrology and earth system sciences,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
26(19), P. 5137 - 5161
Published: Oct. 12, 2022
Abstract.
Germany's
2018–2020
consecutive
drought
events
resulted
in
multiple
sectors
–
including
agriculture,
forestry,
water
management,
energy
production,
and
transport
being
impacted.
High-resolution
information
systems
are
key
to
preparedness
for
such
extreme
events.
This
study
evaluates
the
new
setup
of
one-kilometer
German
monitor
(GDM),
which
is
based
on
daily
soil
moisture
(SM)
simulations
from
mesoscale
hydrological
model
(mHM).
The
simulated
SM
compared
against
a
set
diverse
observations
single
profile
measurements,
spatially
distributed
sensor
networks,
cosmic-ray
neutron
stations,
lysimeters
at
40
sites
Germany.
Our
results
show
that
agreement
observed
dynamics
upper
(0–25
cm)
especially
high
vegetative
active
period
(0.84
median
correlation
R)
lower
winter
(0.59
R).
methodological
uncertainties
both
observations.
Moderate
but
significant
improvements
between
coarser
4
km
resolution
≈
1.2
GDM
autumn
(+0.07
(+0.12
Both
setups
display
similar
correlations
dry
anomaly
spectrum,
with
higher
overall
larger
spatial
footprint.
second
version
allows
more
detailed
representation
variability
SM,
particularly
beneficial
local
risk
assessments.
Furthermore,
underline
nationwide
depend
appropriate
cycle
broad,
high-quality,
observational
database.
Environmental Research Letters,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
17(6), P. 064017 - 064017
Published: April 20, 2022
Abstract
Flash
droughts
are
caused
by
a
rapid
depletion
of
soil
moisture,
and
they
severely
affect
vegetation
growth
agricultural
production.
Notwithstanding
the
growing
importance
flash
under
warming
climate,
drivers
across
Europe
not
well
understood.
Here
we
estimate
changes
in
characteristics
using
ERA5
reanalysis
dataset
for
1950–2019
period.
We
find
substantial
increase
frequency
spatial
extent
(with
79%
total
area)
during
season
with
at-least
one
fourth
domain
showing
two-fold
recent
decades.
Increased
occurrence
drought
is
largely
attributed
to
frequent
warmer
drier
compound
extremes,
sharp
gradient
being
noticed
Mediterranean
Central
European
regions.
Compound
meteorological
extremes
causing
events
pre-dominantly
driven
climate
warming.
With
unabated
greenhouse
gas
emissions
current
pace
warming,
likely
face
an
increased
droughts,
requiring
prompt
response
effective
adaptation
management
strategies.
Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
128(7)
Published: March 27, 2023
Abstract
Intensified
droughts
have
been
weakening
global
vegetation
productivity,
yet
how
the
sensitivity
of
productivity
to
drought
changes
over
time
is
not
well
known.
Here,
using
simulated
long‐term
gross
primary
production
(GPP)
with
an
improved
two‐leaf
light
use
efficiency
model
and
Standardized
Precipitation
Evapotranspiration
Index
(SPEI),
we
studied
drought,
quantified
by
corresponding
scale
SPEI
strongest
impact
on
GPP,
analyzed
in
two
periods
(1993–2005
2006–2018).
Compared
first
period,
were
more
widespread
severer
around
world
second
as
evidenced
increased
range
(increased
4.43%)
intensity
(SPEI03
decreased
103%).
Globally,
area
significant
correlation
between
GPP
25.53%,
14.75%,
enhanced
13.76%;
changing
directions
pretty
similar
across
various
types,
mostly
showing
increasing
trend.
Moreover,
regions
consistently
decreasing
moisture
was
affected
most
strongly
experienced
greatest
change
(enhanced
10.99%),
indicating
that
arid
semi‐arid
ecosystems
should
be
considered
a
research
priority
future.
Our
results
reveal
strengthened
recent
decades
climate
transition
regions,
which
could
improve
our
understanding
behavior
fate
terrestrial
climate.
Cambridge Prisms Water,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
unknown, P. 1 - 22
Published: May 30, 2023
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Global Change Biology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
29(11), P. 3177 - 3192
Published: March 10, 2023
Organic
carbon
and
aggregate
stability
are
key
features
of
soil
quality
important
to
consider
when
evaluating
the
potential
agricultural
soils
as
sinks.
However,
we
lack
a
comprehensive
understanding
how
organic
(SOC)
respond
management
across
wide
environmental
gradients.
Here,
assessed
impact
climatic
factors,
properties
(including
land
use,
crop
cover,
diversity,
fertilization,
intensity)
on
SOC
mean
weight
diameter
aggregates,
commonly
used
an
indicator
for
stability,
3000
km
European
gradient.
Soil
(-56%)
stocks
(-35%)
in
topsoil
(20
cm)
were
lower
croplands
compared
with
neighboring
grassland
sites
(uncropped
perennial
vegetation
little
or
no
external
inputs).
Land
use
aridity
strong
drivers
aggregation
explaining
33%
20%
variation,
respectively.
best
explained
by
calcium
content
(20%
variation)
followed
(15%)
annual
temperature
(10%).
We
also
found
threshold-like
pattern
response
aridity,
values
at
higher
aridity.
The
appeared
be
regulated
these
thresholds,
more
pronounced
positive
effects
diversity
severe
negative
intensity
nondryland
dryland
regions.
link
sensitivity
regions
aggregate-mediated
stabilization.
presented
findings
relevant
improving
predictions
structure
C
storage
highlight
need
site-specific
agri-environmental
policies
improve
sequestration.