Articles | Volume 14, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-511-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-511-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
02 Feb 2017
Research article |
| 02 Feb 2017
Environmental conditions for alternative tree-cover states in high latitudes
Beniamino Abis
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
International Max Planck Research School on Earth System Modelling, Hamburg, Germany
The Land in the Earth System, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
Victor Brovkin
The Land in the Earth System, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
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30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The inconsistency between vegetation greening and ecosystem resilience in the typical subtropical region of China S. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123569
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- Boreal forests are heading for an open state R. Rotbarth et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2404391121
- A Large Committed Long‐Term Sink of Carbon due to Vegetation Dynamics T. Pugh et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF000935
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- Global vegetation resilience linked to water availability and variability T. Smith & N. Boers https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36207-7
- Exceeding 1.5°C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points D. Armstrong McKay et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abn7950
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- Frequent wildfires erode tree persistence and alter stand structure and initial composition of a fire‐tolerant sub‐alpine forest T. Fairman et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12575
- Inferring critical thresholds of ecosystem transitions from spatial data S. Majumder et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2722
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- Alternative tree‐cover states of the boreal ecosystem: A conceptual model B. Abis et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12880
- Mish, Bogs, and Berries: The Significance of Boreal Heathlands as Indigenous Cultural Landscapes Y. Ni et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/02780771261432961
- Detecting early warning signals of tree mortality in boreal North America using multiscale satellite data B. Rogers et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14107
- Slowdown of the greening trend in natural vegetation with further rise in atmospheric CO2 A. Winkler et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4985-2021
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- Remotely sensing potential climate change tipping points across scales T. Lenton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44609-w
- Lack of evidence for alternative stable states in Northern Hemisphere forests during the past 8 ka L. Schild et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad9508
- Savannah–forest dynamics: encroachment speed, model inference and spatial simulations Y. Zelnik et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2025.0502
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- Trends in Satellite Earth Observation for Permafrost Related Analyses—A Review M. Philipp et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13061217
- Comprehensive assessment of potential forestation land in China considering factors of vegetation resilience and top vegetation succession Z. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112476
- Climate change decreases the cooling effect from postfire albedo in boreal North America S. Potter et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14888
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The inconsistency between vegetation greening and ecosystem resilience in the typical subtropical region of China S. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123569
- European tree cover during the Holocene reconstructed from pollen records L. Sweeney et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4903-2025
- Genetic Forest Typology as a Scientific and Methodological Basis for Environmental Studies and Forest Management V. Fomin et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/609/1/012044
- Spatial and Temporal Inconsistency of Forest Resilience and Forest Vegetation Greening in Southwest China Under Climate Change L. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14162493
- Boreal forests are heading for an open state R. Rotbarth et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2404391121
- A Large Committed Long‐Term Sink of Carbon due to Vegetation Dynamics T. Pugh et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF000935
- Radiation and temperature dominate the spatiotemporal variability in resilience of subtropical evergreen forests in China J. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1166481
- Alternative vegetation states on the Loess Plateau and implications for large-scale afforestation success L. Ma et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2527794123
- Extreme Events Contributing to Tipping Elements and Tipping Points A. Romanou et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-024-09863-7
- Empirical evidence for recent global shifts in vegetation resilience T. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01352-2
- Strengths and challenges for transient Mid- to Late Holocene simulations with dynamical vegetation P. Braconnot et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-15-997-2019
- Climate change, ecosystems and abrupt change: science priorities M. Turner et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0105
- Global vegetation resilience linked to water availability and variability T. Smith & N. Boers https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36207-7
- Exceeding 1.5°C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points D. Armstrong McKay et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abn7950
- Legacies of Historical Exploitation of Natural Resources Are More Important Than Summer Warming for Recent Biomass Increases in a Boreal–Arctic Transition Region H. Tømmervik et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-019-00352-2
- Frequent wildfires erode tree persistence and alter stand structure and initial composition of a fire‐tolerant sub‐alpine forest T. Fairman et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12575
- Inferring critical thresholds of ecosystem transitions from spatial data S. Majumder et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2722
- Reliability of vegetation resilience estimates depends on biomass density T. Smith & N. Boers https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02194-7
- Alternative tree‐cover states of the boreal ecosystem: A conceptual model B. Abis et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12880
- Mish, Bogs, and Berries: The Significance of Boreal Heathlands as Indigenous Cultural Landscapes Y. Ni et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/02780771261432961
- Detecting early warning signals of tree mortality in boreal North America using multiscale satellite data B. Rogers et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14107
- Slowdown of the greening trend in natural vegetation with further rise in atmospheric CO2 A. Winkler et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-4985-2021
- A resilience sensing system for the biosphere T. Lenton et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0383
- Remotely sensing potential climate change tipping points across scales T. Lenton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44609-w
- Lack of evidence for alternative stable states in Northern Hemisphere forests during the past 8 ka L. Schild et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad9508
- Savannah–forest dynamics: encroachment speed, model inference and spatial simulations Y. Zelnik et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2025.0502
- Estimation of Spatial–Temporal Dynamic Evolution of Potential Afforestation Land and Its Carbon Sequestration Capacity in China Z. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16163098
- Trends in Satellite Earth Observation for Permafrost Related Analyses—A Review M. Philipp et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13061217
- Comprehensive assessment of potential forestation land in China considering factors of vegetation resilience and top vegetation succession Z. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112476
- Climate change decreases the cooling effect from postfire albedo in boreal North America S. Potter et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14888
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 10 Sep 2026
Short summary
We study the link between the boreal tree-cover fraction distribution and eight globally observed environmental factors. We find that they exert a strong control over the tree-cover distribution, generally uniquely determining its state. Furthermore, we show the location of areas with potentially alternative tree-cover states under the same environmental conditions. These areas represent transition zones with reduced resilience, where the forest can shift between different vegetation states.
We study the link between the boreal tree-cover fraction distribution and eight globally...
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