Vegetation–climate feedbacks across scales

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 24, 2025

Abstract Vegetation is often viewed as a consequence of long‐term climate conditions. However, vegetation itself plays fundamental role in shaping Earth's by regulating the energy, water, and biogeochemical cycles across terrestrial landscapes. It exerts influence consuming water resources through transpiration interception, lowering atmospheric CO 2 concentration, altering surface roughness, controlling net radiation its partitioning into sensible latent heat fluxes. This propagates atmosphere, from microclimate scales to entire boundary layer, subsequently impacting large‐scale circulation global transport moisture. Understanding feedbacks between atmosphere multiple crucial for predicting land use cover changes, accurately representing these processes models. review discusses biophysical mechanisms which modulates spatial temporal scales. Particularly, we evaluate on patterns, precipitation, temperature, considering both trends extreme events, such droughts heatwaves. Our goal highlight state science recent studies that may help advance our collective understanding they play climate.

Language: Английский

---

A belowground perspective on the nexus between biodiversity change, climate change, and human well‐being

Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3(2)

Published: June 1, 2024

Abstract Soil is central to the complex interplay among biodiversity, climate, and society. This paper examines interconnectedness of soil climate change, societal impacts, emphasizing urgent need for integrated solutions. Human‐induced biodiversity loss change intensify environmental degradation, threatening human well‐being. Soils, rich in vital ecosystem function regulation, are highly vulnerable these pressures, affecting nutrient cycling, fertility, resilience. also crucially regulates influencing energy, water cycles, carbon storage. Yet, poses significant challenges health dynamics, amplifying global warming. Integrated approaches essential, including sustainable land management, policy interventions, technological innovations, engagement. Practices like agroforestry organic farming improve mitigate impacts. Effective policies governance crucial promoting practices conservation. Recent technologies aid monitoring implementing management. Societal engagement, through education collective action, stewardship. By prioritizing interdisciplinary research addressing key frontiers, scientists can advance understanding biodiversity–climate change–society nexus, informing strategies sustainability social equity.

Language: Английский

---

Extreme Events Contributing to Tipping Elements and Tipping Points

Surveys in Geophysics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 46(2), P. 375 - 420

Published: Nov. 16, 2024

Abstract This review article provides a synthesis and perspective on how weather climate extreme events can play role in influencing tipping elements triggering points the Earth System. An example of potential critical global point, induced by extremes an increasingly warmer climate, is Amazon rainforest dieback that could be driven regional increases droughts exacerbated fires, addition to deforestation. A element associated with boreal forest might also vulnerable heat, drought fire. oceanic collapse Atlantic meridional overturning circulation due variability freshwater inputs, while marine heatwaves high acidity lead coral reef collapse. Extreme heat may furthermore important ice sheet, glacier permafrost stability. Regional severe ecosystems, as well human systems, response drivers. However, substantial scientific uncertainty remains mechanistic links between points. observations are relevance evaluate constrain those elements, determining conditions leading delayed recovery for atmosphere, land, vegetation, ocean. In subsurface ocean, there lack consistent, synoptic frequency changes both ocean physics biogeochemistry. shows importance considering interface points, two topics usually addressed isolation, need continued monitoring observe early warning signs system improving model skill simulating extremes, compound elements.

Language: Английский

---

Disentangling Effects of Vegetation Structure and Physiology on Land–Atmosphere Coupling

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 31(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Terrestrial vegetation is a key component of the Earth system, regulating exchange carbon, water, and energy between land atmosphere. Vegetation affects soil moisture dynamics by absorbing transpiring thus modulating land–atmosphere interactions. Moreover, changes in structure (e.g., leaf area index) physiology stomatal regulation), due to climate change forest management, also influence However, relative roles interactions are not well understood globally. Here, we investigate contributions coupling (SM) vapor pressure deficit (VPD) while considering influential hydro‐meteorological variables. We focus on periods when SM below normal growing season explicitly study regulation SM–VPD during dryness. use an explainable machine learning approach quantify sensitivity find that exert strong control cold temperate regions Northern Hemisphere. show similar predominant negative coupling, with increases leading stronger coupling. Our analysis based system model simulations reveals models largely reproduce effect but they misrepresent role structure. This way, our results guide development highlight deeper understanding serves as prerequisite more accurate projections future ecosystems.

Language: Английский

---

DeepExtremeCubes: Earth system spatio-temporal data for assessing compound heatwave and drought impacts

Scientific Data, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 25, 2025

Abstract With climate extremes’ rising frequency and intensity, robust analytical tools are crucial to predict their impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. Machine learning techniques show promise but require well-structured, high-quality, curated analysis-ready datasets. Earth observation datasets comprehensively monitor ecosystem dynamics responses climatic extremes, yet the data complexity can challenge effectiveness of machine models. Despite recent progress in deep monitoring, there is a need for specifically designed analyse compound heatwave drought extreme impact. Here, we introduce DeepExtremeCubes database, tailored map around these focusing persistent natural vegetation. It comprises over 40,000 globally sampled small cubes (i.e. minicubes), with spatial coverage 2.5 by km. Each minicube includes (i) Sentinel-2 L2A images, (ii) ERA5-Land variables generated event cube covering 2016 2022, (iii) ancillary land cover topography maps. The paper aims (1) streamline accessibility, structuring, pre-processing, enhance scientific reproducibility, (2) facilitate biosphere forecasting response extremes.

Language: Английский

---

Capturing Forest Ecosystem Dynamics After Disturbances: From Individual Trees to Landscapes

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 31(3)

Published: March 1, 2025

Adopting a multiscale perspective that connects forest dynamics from tree stands to landscapes is crucial for understanding how ecosystems will evolve under global environmental change. This commentary highlights the significance of Perret et al.'s (2025) study in providing valuable insights into individual plasticity drives community reorganization and ultimately alters ecosystem resilience, via integrating species community-level analyses. Their has important implications modeling predicting as well informing sustainable management strategies response future climate change increasing disturbances. Forest are evolving influence changing environments episodic disturbances (e.g., extremes, wildfires, pests, insect outbreaks). As natural anthropogenic become increasingly frequent severe, significant progress been made after disturbances, such research on resilience varies over time (Forzieri al. 2022) carbon stocks recover following disturbance regimes (Heinrich 2023). However, studies focusing responses, example, ring measurements (Anderegg 2020), limited ability represent whole ecosystem, while satellite-based fail provide insight complex demographic processes mortality, growth, recruitment), remote sensing data primarily capture net changes canopy cover, productivity, or biomass 2022; Yang 2022). result, it remains highly uncertain responses alter structure composition communities, posing major challenge development trajectories large-scale degradation. The diverse can balance mortality sustain stability through different regeneration recruitment strategies, collectively shaping broad-scale dynamics. These influenced by diversity trait functions, life history, adaptive capacities, creating dynamic interplay responsive trees ecosystems. For instance, localized declines diebacks one be compensated enhanced growth another species, thereby buffering impacts at scale (Mahecha 2024). Shifts (i.e., number size trees) identity species) serve key indicators have profound terrestrial cycling rapid (McDowell 2020). Seidl Turner (2022) first proposed conceptual framework characterize reorganize along spectrum regime shift. due challenges monitoring structural compositional dynamics, this yet fully applied present In newly published Global Change Biology, offer novel practical roadmap applying (2022). Utilizing inventory plot data, work quantifies classifies four pathways communities—resilience, restructuring, reassembly, replacement—by analyzing two dominant (subalpine fir Engelmann spruce) across western United States. Drawing 60,000 trees, estimate species-specific including trends measured abundance basal area, which then combined assess structure. Following change, three models—mortality, regeneration, recruitment—are built jointly predict communities may vary with disturbance-induced rates. multi-scale linkages critical deepening our resilience. By analyses, provides guidance projecting pervasive shifts emergence transition. an example detecting when where moving toward scenarios, offering conservation risk management. context, refers all undergoing normal stand density. They map hotspots resilient withstand severe areas extremely vulnerable severely affected even slight further suggests reducing extent severity highlighting role fire preventive measures maintaining stability. findings underscore importance tailored species' characteristics regimes, maximizing forests' capacity cope conditions. also inspires efforts enhance capacities capturing processes, particularly linking land surface models. Current models simplify projections, overlooking intricate interactions variables. While warming raise risks, regrowth modulated interaction climate-related adaptation sensitivity CO2 fertilization effects) absence these mechanistic leads high uncertainties model projections Moreover, incorporating other types poses greater than study. Unlike acute fire, often exhibit more chronic extremes like drought. legacy effects lead increased during post-drought recovery phase rather droughts. summary, connecting site-level potential degradation assessing elevated episodes vegetation greening signals climate. Beyond estimating could rely high-resolution satellite-retrieved products datasets quantify trajectories, Nonetheless, comes estimation 2024), alongside influential factors terrain microclimates (Yan expected patterns reorganization. Xiangyi Li: funding acquisition, writing – original draft, review editing. Hui Yang: supported National Natural Science Foundation China (42401105). authors declare no conflicts interest. article Invited Commentary al., https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70052. nothing report.

Language: Английский

---

Forest Dieback in Drinking Water Protection Areas—A Hidden Threat to Water Quality

Earth s Future, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Abstract For centuries, forests have been considered a safeguard for drinking water quality. However, unprecedented pulses of forest dieback globally caused by the rising frequency and intensity droughts may jeopardize forests' crucial role in protecting quality, potentially even turning into sources contamination. To underscore critical importance topic, here we provide first comprehensive assessment cover, type, across Water Protection Areas (WPAs) Germany, one countries hit Central European drought 2018–2020. Our findings reveal high cover 43% WPAs, from which substantial amount 4.8% canopy got lost within only 3 years. Spruce‐dominated were particularly susceptible, but other dominant tree species also experienced anomalously mortality rates. Combining this with exemplary records nitrate concentrations groundwater WPAs revealed that can significantly impair On average, more than doubled severe dieback, whereas did not change undisturbed WPAs. found pronounced differences between affected underlining need further data research to derive generalizable understanding underlying mechanisms controls. Based on assessment, deduce knowledge gaps essential developing well‐informed adaptation mitigation strategies. We call interdisciplinary addressing hidden threat poses our resources.

Language: Английский

---

Long-Term Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Grassland Growing Season Length on the Mongolian Plateau

Remote Sensing, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(9), P. 1560 - 1560

Published: April 28, 2025

Quantifying extreme weather events (EWEs) and understanding their impacts on vegetation phenology is crucial for assessing ecosystem stability under climate change. This study systematically investigated the growing season length (GL) response to four types of EWEs—extreme heat, cold, wetness (surplus precipitation), drought (lack precipitation). The EWE extremity thresholds were found statistically using detrended long time series (2000–2022) ERA5 meteorological data through z-score transformation. analysis was based a grassland in Mongolian Plateau (MP) from 2000 2022. Using solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence event coincidence analysis, we evaluated probability GL anomalies coinciding with EWEs assessed sensitivity variability. showed that 83.7% negative 87.4% positive associated one or more EWEs, (27.0%) heat (25.4%) contributing most. These findings highlight dominant role shaping phenological shifts. Negative strongly linked particularly arid cold regions where shortened season. Conversely, had greater influence warmer wetter areas, driving both lengthening shortening GL. Furthermore, background hydrothermal conditions modulated sensitivity, being susceptible stress drier vulnerable drought. emphasize importance regional variability characteristics provide new insights into how extremes impact semi-arid regions. Future research should explore human activities enhance predictions vegetation–climate interactions ecosystems MP.

Language: Английский

---

Prairie management practices influence biodiversity, productivity and surface–atmosphere feedbacks

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 14, 2025

Summary Grassland restoration efforts aim to reestablish vegetation cover and maintain ecosystem services. However, there is a lack of systematic evaluation the effects grassland management strategies on biodiversity, productivity surface–atmosphere feedbacks affecting climate. Through multiyear experiment in tallgrass prairie site Nebraska, USA, we investigated how different practices affected using combination situ measurements airborne hyperspectral thermal remote sensing. Our findings indicated that treatments diversity, energy balance. Higher diversity plots had higher plant growth, albedo, canopy water content lower surface temperature, indicating clear processes influencing mass energy. The coherent responses multiple sensing indices illustrate potential cobenefits enhance biodiversity mitigate climate change through feedbacks, offering new strategy address challenges loss ecosystems.

Language: Английский

---

Responses of ground and dung beetle assemblages to extreme events: the case of the windstorm “Vaia” in the Italian Alps

The European Zoological Journal, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 92(1), P. 613 - 630

Published: June 2, 2025

Language: Английский

---