Articles | Volume 18, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-77-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-77-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
07 Jan 2021
Research article |
| 07 Jan 2021
| 07 Jan 2021
Contrasting responses of woody and herbaceous vegetation to altered rainfall characteristics in the Sahel
CAVElab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000,
Belgium
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
Guy Schurgers
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
Stéphanie Horion
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
Jonas Ardö
Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund
University, Lund, 22100, Sweden
Paulo N. Bernardino
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven,
3000, Belgium
Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen
University, Wageningen, 6708, the Netherlands
Bernard Cappelaere
HydroSciences Montpellier, IRD/CNRS, Université de Montpellier,
Montpellier, 34090, France
Jérôme Demarty
HydroSciences Montpellier, IRD/CNRS, Université de Montpellier,
Montpellier, 34090, France
Rasmus Fensholt
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
Laurent Kergoat
Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/UPS/IRD, Toulouse, 31400,
France
Thomas Sibret
CAVElab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000,
Belgium
Torbern Tagesson
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University
of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund
University, Lund, 22100, Sweden
Hans Verbeeck
CAVElab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000,
Belgium
Related authors
Félicien Meunier, Wim Verbruggen, Hans Verbeeck, and Marc Peaucelle
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 7573–7591, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7573-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7573-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Drought stress occurs in plants when water supply (i.e. root water uptake) is lower than the water demand (i.e. atmospheric demand). It is strongly related to soil properties and expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the tropics due to climate change. In this study, we show that contrary to the expectations, state-of-the-art terrestrial biosphere models are mostly insensitive to soil texture and hence probably inadequate to reproduce in silico the plant water status in drying soils.
Félicien Meunier, Sruthi M. Krishna Moorthy, Marc Peaucelle, Kim Calders, Louise Terryn, Wim Verbruggen, Chang Liu, Ninni Saarinen, Niall Origo, Joanne Nightingale, Mathias Disney, Yadvinder Malhi, and Hans Verbeeck
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 4783–4803, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4783-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4783-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We integrated state-of-the-art observations of the structure of the vegetation in a temperate forest to constrain a vegetation model that aims to reproduce such an ecosystem in silico. We showed that the use of this information helps to constrain the model structure, its critical parameters, as well as its initial state. This research confirms the critical importance of the representation of the vegetation structure in vegetation models and proposes a method to overcome this challenge.
Chansopheaktra Sovann, Torbern Tagesson, Patrik Vestin, Sakada Sakhoeun, Soben Kim, Sothea Kok, and Stefan Olin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3784, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3784, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
We offer pairwise observed datasets that compare the characteristics of tropical ecosystems, specifically pristine forests, regrowth forests, and cashew plantations. Our findings uncover some key differences in their characteristics, emphasizing the influence of human activities on these ecosystems. By sharing our unique datasets, we hope to improve the knowledge of tropical forest ecosystems in Southeast Asia, advancing tropical research, and tackling global environmental challenges.
Jacob A. Nelson, Sophia Walther, Fabian Gans, Basil Kraft, Ulrich Weber, Kimberly Novick, Nina Buchmann, Mirco Migliavacca, Georg Wohlfahrt, Ladislav Šigut, Andreas Ibrom, Dario Papale, Mathias Göckede, Gregory Duveiller, Alexander Knohl, Lukas Hörtnagl, Russell L. Scott, Jiří Dušek, Weijie Zhang, Zayd Mahmoud Hamdi, Markus Reichstein, Sergio Aranda-Barranco, Jonas Ardö, Maarten Op de Beeck, Dave Billesbach, David Bowling, Rosvel Bracho, Christian Brümmer, Gustau Camps-Valls, Shiping Chen, Jamie Rose Cleverly, Ankur Desai, Gang Dong, Tarek S. El-Madany, Eugenie Susanne Euskirchen, Iris Feigenwinter, Marta Galvagno, Giacomo A. Gerosa, Bert Gielen, Ignacio Goded, Sarah Goslee, Christopher Michael Gough, Bernard Heinesch, Kazuhito Ichii, Marcin Antoni Jackowicz-Korczynski, Anne Klosterhalfen, Sara Knox, Hideki Kobayashi, Kukka-Maaria Kohonen, Mika Korkiakoski, Ivan Mammarella, Mana Gharun, Riccardo Marzuoli, Roser Matamala, Stefan Metzger, Leonardo Montagnani, Giacomo Nicolini, Thomas O'Halloran, Jean-Marc Ourcival, Matthias Peichl, Elise Pendall, Borja Ruiz Reverter, Marilyn Roland, Simone Sabbatini, Torsten Sachs, Marius Schmidt, Christopher R. Schwalm, Ankit Shekhar, Richard Silberstein, Maria Lucia Silveira, Donatella Spano, Torbern Tagesson, Gianluca Tramontana, Carlo Trotta, Fabio Turco, Timo Vesala, Caroline Vincke, Domenico Vitale, Enrique R. Vivoni, Yi Wang, William Woodgate, Enrico A. Yepez, Junhui Zhang, Donatella Zona, and Martin Jung
Biogeosciences, 21, 5079–5115, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5079-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5079-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The movement of water, carbon, and energy from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere, or flux, is an important process to understand because it impacts our lives. Here, we outline a method called FLUXCOM-X to estimate global water and CO2 fluxes based on direct measurements from sites around the world. We go on to demonstrate how these new estimates of net CO2 uptake/loss, gross CO2 uptake, total water evaporation, and transpiration from plants compare to previous and independent estimates.
Flossie Brown, Gerd Folberth, Stephen Sitch, Paulo Artaxo, Marijn Bauters, Pascal Boeckx, Alexander W. Cheesman, Matteo Detto, Ninong Komala, Luciana Rizzo, Nestor Rojas, Ines dos Santos Vieira, Steven Turnock, Hans Verbeeck, and Alfonso Zambrano
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12537–12555, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12537-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12537-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ozone is a pollutant that is detrimental to human and plant health. Ozone monitoring sites in the tropics are limited, so models are often used to understand ozone exposure. We use measurements from the tropics to evaluate ozone from the UK Earth system model, UKESM1. UKESM1 is able to capture the pattern of ozone in the tropics, except in southeast Asia, although it systematically overestimates it at all sites. This work highlights that UKESM1 can capture seasonal and hourly variability.
Max Gaber, Yanghui Kang, Guy Schurgers, and Trevor Keenan
Biogeosciences, 21, 2447–2472, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2447-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2447-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Gross primary productivity (GPP) describes the photosynthetic carbon assimilation, which plays a vital role in the carbon cycle. We can measure GPP locally, but producing larger and continuous estimates is challenging. Here, we present an approach to extrapolate GPP to a global scale using satellite imagery and automated machine learning. We benchmark different models and predictor variables and achieve an estimate that can capture 75 % of the variation in GPP.
Tao Chen, Félicien Meunier, Marc Peaucelle, Guoping Tang, Ye Yuan, and Hans Verbeeck
Biogeosciences, 21, 2253–2272, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2253-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2253-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Chinese subtropical forest ecosystems are an extremely important component of global forest ecosystems and hence crucial for the global carbon cycle and regional climate change. However, there is still great uncertainty in the relationship between subtropical forest carbon sequestration and its drivers. We provide first quantitative estimates of the individual and interactive effects of different drivers on the gross primary productivity changes of various subtropical forest types in China.
Chansopheaktra Sovann, Torbern Tagesson, Patrik Vestin, Sakada Sakhoeun, Soben Kim, Sothea Kok, and Stefan Olin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-98, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-98, 2024
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
We offer pairwise observed datasets that compare the characteristics of tropical ecosystems, specifically pristine forests, regrowth forests, and cashew plantations. Our findings uncover some key differences in their characteristics, emphasizing the influence of human activities on these ecosystems. By sharing our unique datasets, we hope to improve the knowledge of tropical forest ecosystems in Southeast Asia, advancing tropical research, and tackling global environmental challenges.
Søren Julsgaard Kragh, Jacopo Dari, Sara Modanesi, Christian Massari, Luca Brocca, Rasmus Fensholt, Simon Stisen, and Julian Koch
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 441–457, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-441-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-441-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides a comparison of methodologies to quantify irrigation to enhance regional irrigation estimates. To evaluate the methodologies, we compared various approaches to quantify irrigation using soil moisture, evapotranspiration, or both within a novel baseline framework, together with irrigation estimates from other studies. We show that the synergy from using two equally important components in a joint approach within a baseline framework yields better irrigation estimates.
Søren J. Kragh, Rasmus Fensholt, Simon Stisen, and Julian Koch
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2463–2478, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2463-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2463-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates the precision of irrigation estimates from a global hotspot of unsustainable irrigation practice, the Indus and Ganges basins. We show that irrigation water use can be estimated with high precision by comparing satellite and rainfed hydrological model estimates of evapotranspiration. We believe that our work can support sustainable water resource management, as it addresses the uncertainty of a key component of the water balance that remains challenging to quantify.
Mathilde de Fleury, Laurent Kergoat, and Manuela Grippa
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2189–2204, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2189-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2189-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study surveys small lakes and reservoirs, which are vital resources in the Sahel, through a multi-sensor satellite approach. Water height changes compared to evaporation losses in dry seasons highlight anthropogenic withdrawals and water supplies due to river and groundwater connections. Some reservoirs display weak withdrawals, suggesting low usage may be due to security issues. The
satellite-derived water balance thus proved effective in estimating water resources in semi-arid areas.
Qi Guan, Jing Tang, Lian Feng, Stefan Olin, and Guy Schurgers
Biogeosciences, 20, 1635–1648, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1635-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1635-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding terrestrial sources of nitrogen is vital to examine lake eutrophication changes. Combining process-based ecosystem modeling and satellite observations, we found that land-leached nitrogen in the Yangtze Plain significantly increased from 1979 to 2018, and terrestrial nutrient sources were positively correlated with eutrophication trends observed in most lakes, demonstrating the necessity of sustainable nitrogen management to control eutrophication.
Joseph Okello, Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Samuel Bodé, John Kasenene, Astrid Françoys, Till Engelhardt, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Ralf Kiese, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 20, 719–735, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-719-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-719-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The increase in global and regional temperatures has the potential to drive accelerated soil organic carbon losses in tropical forests. We simulated climate warming by translocating intact soil cores from higher to lower elevations. The results revealed increasing temperature sensitivity and decreasing losses of soil organic carbon with increasing elevation. Our results suggest that climate warming may trigger enhanced losses of soil organic carbon from tropical montane forests.
Félicien Meunier, Wim Verbruggen, Hans Verbeeck, and Marc Peaucelle
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 7573–7591, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7573-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7573-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Drought stress occurs in plants when water supply (i.e. root water uptake) is lower than the water demand (i.e. atmospheric demand). It is strongly related to soil properties and expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the tropics due to climate change. In this study, we show that contrary to the expectations, state-of-the-art terrestrial biosphere models are mostly insensitive to soil texture and hence probably inadequate to reproduce in silico the plant water status in drying soils.
Flossie Brown, Gerd A. Folberth, Stephen Sitch, Susanne Bauer, Marijn Bauters, Pascal Boeckx, Alexander W. Cheesman, Makoto Deushi, Inês Dos Santos Vieira, Corinne Galy-Lacaux, James Haywood, James Keeble, Lina M. Mercado, Fiona M. O'Connor, Naga Oshima, Kostas Tsigaridis, and Hans Verbeeck
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12331–12352, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12331-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12331-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Surface ozone can decrease plant productivity and impair human health. In this study, we evaluate the change in surface ozone due to climate change over South America and Africa using Earth system models. We find that if the climate were to change according to the worst-case scenario used here, models predict that forested areas in biomass burning locations and urban populations will be at increasing risk of ozone exposure, but other areas will experience a climate benefit.
David Martín Belda, Peter Anthoni, David Wårlind, Stefan Olin, Guy Schurgers, Jing Tang, Benjamin Smith, and Almut Arneth
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 6709–6745, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6709-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6709-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a number of augmentations to the ecosystem model LPJ-GUESS, which will allow us to use it in studies of the interactions between the land biosphere and the climate. The new module enables calculation of fluxes of energy and water into the atmosphere that are consistent with the modelled vegetation processes. The modelled fluxes are in fair agreement with observations across 21 sites from the FLUXNET network.
Rena Meyer, Wenmin Zhang, Søren Julsgaard Kragh, Mie Andreasen, Karsten Høgh Jensen, Rasmus Fensholt, Simon Stisen, and Majken C. Looms
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 3337–3357, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-3337-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-3337-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The amount and spatio-temporal distribution of soil moisture, the water in the upper soil, is of great relevance for agriculture and water management. Here, we investigate whether the established downscaling algorithm combining different satellite products to estimate medium-scale soil moisture is applicable to higher resolutions and whether results can be improved by accounting for land cover types. Original satellite data and downscaled soil moisture are compared with ground observations.
Félicien Meunier, Sruthi M. Krishna Moorthy, Marc Peaucelle, Kim Calders, Louise Terryn, Wim Verbruggen, Chang Liu, Ninni Saarinen, Niall Origo, Joanne Nightingale, Mathias Disney, Yadvinder Malhi, and Hans Verbeeck
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 4783–4803, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4783-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-4783-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We integrated state-of-the-art observations of the structure of the vegetation in a temperate forest to constrain a vegetation model that aims to reproduce such an ecosystem in silico. We showed that the use of this information helps to constrain the model structure, its critical parameters, as well as its initial state. This research confirms the critical importance of the representation of the vegetation structure in vegetation models and proposes a method to overcome this challenge.
M. C. A. Picoli, J. Radoux, X. Tong, A. Bey, P. Rufin, M. Brandt, R. Fensholt, and P. Meyfroidt
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLIII-B3-2022, 975–981, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2022-975-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2022-975-2022, 2022
Wouter Dorigo, Irene Himmelbauer, Daniel Aberer, Lukas Schremmer, Ivana Petrakovic, Luca Zappa, Wolfgang Preimesberger, Angelika Xaver, Frank Annor, Jonas Ardö, Dennis Baldocchi, Marco Bitelli, Günter Blöschl, Heye Bogena, Luca Brocca, Jean-Christophe Calvet, J. Julio Camarero, Giorgio Capello, Minha Choi, Michael C. Cosh, Nick van de Giesen, Istvan Hajdu, Jaakko Ikonen, Karsten H. Jensen, Kasturi Devi Kanniah, Ileen de Kat, Gottfried Kirchengast, Pankaj Kumar Rai, Jenni Kyrouac, Kristine Larson, Suxia Liu, Alexander Loew, Mahta Moghaddam, José Martínez Fernández, Cristian Mattar Bader, Renato Morbidelli, Jan P. Musial, Elise Osenga, Michael A. Palecki, Thierry Pellarin, George P. Petropoulos, Isabella Pfeil, Jarrett Powers, Alan Robock, Christoph Rüdiger, Udo Rummel, Michael Strobel, Zhongbo Su, Ryan Sullivan, Torbern Tagesson, Andrej Varlagin, Mariette Vreugdenhil, Jeffrey Walker, Jun Wen, Fred Wenger, Jean Pierre Wigneron, Mel Woods, Kun Yang, Yijian Zeng, Xiang Zhang, Marek Zreda, Stephan Dietrich, Alexander Gruber, Peter van Oevelen, Wolfgang Wagner, Klaus Scipal, Matthias Drusch, and Roberto Sabia
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5749–5804, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5749-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5749-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) is a community-based open-access data portal for soil water measurements taken at the ground and is accessible at https://ismn.earth. Over 1000 scientific publications and thousands of users have made use of the ISMN. The scope of this paper is to inform readers about the data and functionality of the ISMN and to provide a review of the scientific progress facilitated through the ISMN with the scope to shape future research and operations.
Maurizio Santoro, Oliver Cartus, Nuno Carvalhais, Danaë M. A. Rozendaal, Valerio Avitabile, Arnan Araza, Sytze de Bruin, Martin Herold, Shaun Quegan, Pedro Rodríguez-Veiga, Heiko Balzter, João Carreiras, Dmitry Schepaschenko, Mikhail Korets, Masanobu Shimada, Takuya Itoh, Álvaro Moreno Martínez, Jura Cavlovic, Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Polyanna da Conceição Bispo, Nasheta Dewnath, Nicolas Labrière, Jingjing Liang, Jeremy Lindsell, Edward T. A. Mitchard, Alexandra Morel, Ana Maria Pacheco Pascagaza, Casey M. Ryan, Ferry Slik, Gaia Vaglio Laurin, Hans Verbeeck, Arief Wijaya, and Simon Willcock
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 3927–3950, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3927-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3927-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Forests play a crucial role in Earth’s carbon cycle. To understand the carbon cycle better, we generated a global dataset of forest above-ground biomass, i.e. carbon stocks, from satellite data of 2010. This dataset provides a comprehensive and detailed portrait of the distribution of carbon in forests, although for dense forests in the tropics values are somewhat underestimated. This dataset will have a considerable impact on climate, carbon, and socio-economic modelling schemes.
Jaber Rahimi, Expedit Evariste Ago, Augustine Ayantunde, Sina Berger, Jan Bogaert, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Bernard Cappelaere, Jean-Martial Cohard, Jérôme Demarty, Abdoul Aziz Diouf, Ulrike Falk, Edwin Haas, Pierre Hiernaux, David Kraus, Olivier Roupsard, Clemens Scheer, Amit Kumar Srivastava, Torbern Tagesson, and Rüdiger Grote
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 3789–3812, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-3789-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-3789-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
West African Sahelian and Sudanian ecosystems are important regions for global carbon exchange, and they provide valuable food and fodder resources. Therefore, we simulated net ecosystem exchange and aboveground biomass of typical ecosystems in this region with an improved process-based biogeochemical model, LandscapeDNDC. Carbon stocks and exchange rates were particularly correlated with the abundance of trees. Grass and crop yields increased under humid climatic conditions.
Anna B. Harper, Karina E. Williams, Patrick C. McGuire, Maria Carolina Duran Rojas, Debbie Hemming, Anne Verhoef, Chris Huntingford, Lucy Rowland, Toby Marthews, Cleiton Breder Eller, Camilla Mathison, Rodolfo L. B. Nobrega, Nicola Gedney, Pier Luigi Vidale, Fred Otu-Larbi, Divya Pandey, Sebastien Garrigues, Azin Wright, Darren Slevin, Martin G. De Kauwe, Eleanor Blyth, Jonas Ardö, Andrew Black, Damien Bonal, Nina Buchmann, Benoit Burban, Kathrin Fuchs, Agnès de Grandcourt, Ivan Mammarella, Lutz Merbold, Leonardo Montagnani, Yann Nouvellon, Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, and Georg Wohlfahrt
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 3269–3294, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-3269-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-3269-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated 10 representations of soil moisture stress in the JULES land surface model against site observations of GPP and latent heat flux. Increasing the soil depth and plant access to deep soil moisture improved many aspects of the simulations, and we recommend these settings in future work using JULES. In addition, using soil matric potential presents the opportunity to include parameters specific to plant functional type to further improve modeled fluxes.
Anteneh Getachew Mengistu, Gizaw Mengistu Tsidu, Gerbrand Koren, Maurits L. Kooreman, K. Folkert Boersma, Torbern Tagesson, Jonas Ardö, Yann Nouvellon, and Wouter Peters
Biogeosciences, 18, 2843–2857, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2843-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2843-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we assess the usefulness of Sun-Induced Fluorescence of Terrestrial Ecosystems Retrieval (SIFTER) data from the GOME-2A instrument and near-infrared reflectance of vegetation (NIRv) from MODIS to capture the seasonality and magnitudes of gross primary production (GPP) derived from six eddy-covariance flux towers in Africa in the overlap years between 2007–2014. We also test the robustness of sun-induced fluoresence and NIRv to compare the seasonality of GPP for the major biomes.
Paula Alejandra Lamprea Pineda, Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Selene Baez, Matti Barthel, Samuel Bodé, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 18, 413–421, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-413-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-413-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Tropical forest soils are an important source and sink of greenhouse gases (GHGs) with tropical montane forests having been poorly studied. In this pilot study, we explored soil fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O in an Ecuadorian neotropical montane forest, where a net consumption of N2O at higher altitudes was observed. Our results highlight the importance of short-term variations in N2O and provide arguments and insights for future, more detailed studies on GHG fluxes from montane forest soils.
Hannes P. T. De Deurwaerder, Marco D. Visser, Matteo Detto, Pascal Boeckx, Félicien Meunier, Kathrin Kuehnhammer, Ruth-Kristina Magh, John D. Marshall, Lixin Wang, Liangju Zhao, and Hans Verbeeck
Biogeosciences, 17, 4853–4870, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4853-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4853-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The depths at which plants take up water is challenging to observe directly. To do so, scientists have relied on measuring the isotopic composition of xylem water as this provides information on the water’s source. Our work shows that this isotopic composition changes throughout the day, which complicates the interpretation of the water’s source and has been currently overlooked. We build a model to help understand the origin of these composition changes and their consequences for science.
Anja Rammig, Jens Heinke, Florian Hofhansl, Hans Verbeeck, Timothy R. Baker, Bradley Christoffersen, Philippe Ciais, Hannes De Deurwaerder, Katrin Fleischer, David Galbraith, Matthieu Guimberteau, Andreas Huth, Michelle Johnson, Bart Krujit, Fanny Langerwisch, Patrick Meir, Phillip Papastefanou, Gilvan Sampaio, Kirsten Thonicke, Celso von Randow, Christian Zang, and Edna Rödig
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 5203–5215, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-5203-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-5203-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a generic approach for a pixel-to-point comparison applicable for evaluation of models and remote-sensing products. We provide statistical measures accounting for the uncertainty in ecosystem variables. We demonstrate our approach by comparing simulated values of aboveground biomass, woody productivity and residence time of woody biomass from four dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) with measured inventory data from permanent plots in the Amazon rainforest.
Pertti Hari, Steffen Noe, Sigrid Dengel, Jan Elbers, Bert Gielen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Bart Kruijt, Liisa Kulmala, Anders Lindroth, Ivan Mammarella, Tuukka Petäjä, Guy Schurgers, Anni Vanhatalo, Markku Kulmala, and Jaana Bäck
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 13321–13328, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13321-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13321-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The development of eddy-covariance measurements of ecosystem CO2 fluxes began a new era in the field studies of photosynthesis. The interpretation of the very variable CO2 fluxes in evergreen forests has been problematic especially in seasonal transition times. We apply two theoretical needle-level equations and show they can predict photosynthetic CO2 flux between the atmosphere and Scots pine forests. This has strong implications for the interpretation of the global change and boreal forests.
Wenmin Zhang, Martin Brandt, Xiaoye Tong, Qingjiu Tian, and Rasmus Fensholt
Biogeosciences, 15, 319–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-319-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-319-2018, 2018
Florian Sallaba, Stefan Olin, Kerstin Engström, Abdulhakim M. Abdi, Niklas Boke-Olén, Veiko Lehsten, Jonas Ardö, and Jonathan W. Seaquist
Earth Syst. Dynam., 8, 1191–1221, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-8-1191-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-8-1191-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The UN sustainable development goals for eradicating hunger are at high risk for failure in the Sahel. We show that the demand for food and feed biomass will begin to outstrip its supply in the 2040s if current trends continue. Though supply continues to increase it is outpaced by a greater increase in demand due to a combination of population growth and a shift to diets rich in animal proteins. This underscores the importance of policy interventions that would act to mitigate such developments.
Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Miro Demol, Stijn Bruneel, Cys Taveirne, Dries Van der Heyden, Landry Cizungu, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 14, 5313–5321, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5313-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5313-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We assessed community-weighted functional canopy traits and indicative δ15N shifts along two new altitudinal transects in the tropical forest biome of both South America and Africa. We found that the functional forest composition and δ15N response along both transects was parallel, with a species shift towards more nitrogen-conservative species at higher elevations.
Ylva van Meeningen, Guy Schurgers, Riikka Rinnan, and Thomas Holst
Biogeosciences, 14, 4045–4060, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4045-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4045-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Leaf scale measurements have been performed on English oak, European beech and Norway spruce at a field site in Denmark to study the release of volatile compounds in response to a change in light. Whilst some compounds, like isoprene and sabinene, increased with increasing light, other compounds, like camphene, showed no light response for most of the trees. This can help to increase our knowledge of how species and compounds respond to light and to possibly improve how they can be modeled.
Laetitia Gal, Manuela Grippa, Pierre Hiernaux, Léa Pons, and Laurent Kergoat
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4591–4613, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4591-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4591-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The intense, prolonged Sahel drought has caused a widespread increase in surface runoff and surface waters like lakes or rivers, against all expectations. Using long-term observations and the Kineros2 hydrological model, we show that the runoff coefficient of the Agoufou watershed increased from ~ 0 to 5.5 % in 1950–2011. We attribute this phenomenon to a change in vegetation and soil surface properties, in response to the drought, rather than land–use change or rainfall regime intensification.
Emilie Öström, Zhou Putian, Guy Schurgers, Mikhail Mishurov, Niku Kivekäs, Heikki Lihavainen, Mikael Ehn, Matti P. Rissanen, Theo Kurtén, Michael Boy, Erik Swietlicki, and Pontus Roldin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8887–8901, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8887-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8887-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We used a model to study how biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted from the boreal forest contribute to the formation and growth of particles in the atmosphere. Some of these particles are important climate forcers, acting as seeds for cloud droplet fomation. We implemented a new gas chemistry mechanism that describes how the BVOCs are oxidized and form low-volatility highly oxidized organic molecules. With the new mechanism we are able to accurately predict the particle growth.
Torbern Tagesson, Jonas Ardö, Bernard Cappelaere, Laurent Kergoat, Abdulhakim Abdi, Stéphanie Horion, and Rasmus Fensholt
Biogeosciences, 14, 1333–1348, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1333-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1333-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Vegetation growth in semi-arid regions is an important sink for human-induced fossil fuel emissions of CO2 and this study addresses the strong need for improved understanding and spatially explicit estimates of CO2 uptake by semi-arid ecosystems. We show that a model incorporating photosynthetic parameters upscaled using satellite-based earth observation simulates CO2 uptake well for the Sahel, one of the largest semi-arid regions in the world.
Matthieu Guimberteau, Philippe Ciais, Agnès Ducharne, Juan Pablo Boisier, Ana Paula Dutra Aguiar, Hester Biemans, Hannes De Deurwaerder, David Galbraith, Bart Kruijt, Fanny Langerwisch, German Poveda, Anja Rammig, Daniel Andres Rodriguez, Graciela Tejada, Kirsten Thonicke, Celso Von Randow, Rita C. S. Von Randow, Ke Zhang, and Hans Verbeeck
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1455–1475, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1455-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1455-2017, 2017
Jing Tang, Guy Schurgers, Hanna Valolahti, Patrick Faubert, Päivi Tiiva, Anders Michelsen, and Riikka Rinnan
Biogeosciences, 13, 6651–6667, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6651-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6651-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Arctic is warming at twice the global average speed and the warming-induced increases in biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions from Arctic plants are expected to be drastic. This modelling study aims to investigate BVOC emission responses to warming. The results show that 2 °C summer warming can increase annual emissions by 56 % and the short-term warming responses are strongly impacted by leaf temperature, while the long-time responses are interacted with vegetation changes.
Ylva van Meeningen, Guy Schurgers, Riikka Rinnan, and Thomas Holst
Biogeosciences, 13, 6067–6080, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6067-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6067-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
English oak and European beech are common European trees known to release volatile compounds such as isoprene and monoterpenes. By doing leaf chamber measurements at three sites in Europe, the aim was to study how the emission differed for cloned trees growing at different sites. The measured emission rates from clones varied between sites, but the relative compound contribution was stable both within and between sites. This can help to increase our knowledge of emission pattern variability.
Minchao Wu, Guy Schurgers, Markku Rummukainen, Benjamin Smith, Patrick Samuelsson, Christer Jansson, Joe Siltberg, and Wilhelm May
Earth Syst. Dynam., 7, 627–647, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-627-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-627-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
On Earth, vegetation does not merely adapt to climate but also imposes significant influences on climate with both local and remote effects. In this study we evaluated the role of vegetation in African climate with a regional Earth system model. By the comparison between the experiments with and without dynamic vegetation changes, we found that vegetation can influence climate remotely, resulting in modulating rainfall patterns over Africa.
S. Salehi, M. Karami, and R. Fensholt
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLI-B7, 973–979, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B7-973-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLI-B7-973-2016, 2016
Almut Arneth, Risto Makkonen, Stefan Olin, Pauli Paasonen, Thomas Holst, Maija K. Kajos, Markku Kulmala, Trofim Maximov, Paul A. Miller, and Guy Schurgers
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 5243–5262, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5243-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5243-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We study the potentially contrasting effects of enhanced ecosystem CO2 release in response to warmer temperatures vs. emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds and their formation of secondary organic aerosol through a combination of measurements and modelling at a remote location in Eastern Siberia. The study aims to highlight the number of potentially opposing processes and complex interactions between vegetation physiology, soil processes and trace-gas exchanges in the climate system.
Gregor Ratzmann, Ute Gangkofner, Britta Tietjen, and Rasmus Fensholt
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2016-48, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2016-48, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Anticipating impacts of changes in rainfall regimes on dryland ecosystems requires the understanding of the functional response to rainfall of those water limited environments. Here we show for two arid/semi-arid African regions based on satellite data that higher rainfall variability leads to a more dynamic vegetation response to rainfall. This applies irrespective of vegetation type. It moreover indicates that regions experiencing a higher rainfall variability may be more resilient to drought.
S. Olin, M. Lindeskog, T. A. M. Pugh, G. Schurgers, D. Wårlind, M. Mishurov, S. Zaehle, B. D. Stocker, B. Smith, and A. Arneth
Earth Syst. Dynam., 6, 745–768, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-6-745-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-6-745-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Croplands are vital ecosystems for human well-being. Properly managed they can supply food, store carbon and even sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Conversely, if poorly managed, croplands can be a source of nitrogen to inland and coastal waters, causing algal blooms, and a source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, accentuating climate change. Here we studied cropland management types for their potential to store carbon and minimize nitrogen losses while maintaining crop yields.
T. Tagesson, R. Fensholt, S. Huber, S. Horion, I. Guiro, A. Ehammer, and J. Ardö
Biogeosciences, 12, 4621–4635, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4621-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4621-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Relationships between ecosystem properties of semi-arid savanna and reflected solar radiance between 35 and 1800nm were investigated. Normalised combinations of reflectance for the near infrared, shortwave infrared, and 600 to 700nm were strongly affected by solar and viewing angle effects. Ecosystem properties of savannas were strongly correlated with reflectance at 350-1800nm, and normalised combinations of reflectance were strong predictors of the savanna ecosystem properties.
J. L. Olsen, S. Miehe, P. Ceccato, and R. Fensholt
Biogeosciences, 12, 4407–4419, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4407-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4407-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Limitations of satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for monitoring vegetation trends are investigated using observations from the Widou Thiengoly test site in northern Senegal. NDVI do not reflect the large differences found in biomass production and species composition between grazed and ungrazed plots. This is problematic for vegetation trend analysis in the context of drastically increasing numbers of Sahelian livestock in recent decades.
C. Leauthaud, J. Demarty, B. Cappelaere, M. Grippa, L. Kergoat, C. Velluet, F. Guichard, E. Mougin, S. Chelbi, and B. Sultan
Proc. IAHS, 371, 195–201, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-371-195-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-371-195-2015, 2015
E. Joetzjer, C. Delire, H. Douville, P. Ciais, B. Decharme, D. Carrer, H. Verbeeck, M. De Weirdt, and D. Bonal
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 1709–1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-1709-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-1709-2015, 2015
C. Delon, E. Mougin, D. Serça, M. Grippa, P. Hiernaux, M. Diawara, C. Galy-Lacaux, and L. Kergoat
Biogeosciences, 12, 3253–3272, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-3253-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-3253-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides seasonal and interannual variation of simulated biogenic NO emission fluxes in a Sahelian rangeland in Mali, a region where intense NO emissions occur during the wet season. Emissions are related to their biogeochemical origin, to the quantity of biomass, and to the quantity of livestock, which drive the N pool and N turnover in the soil, using a coupled vegetation–litter decomposition–emission model.
N. Sudarchikova, U. Mikolajewicz, C. Timmreck, D. O'Donnell, G. Schurgers, D. Sein, and K. Zhang
Clim. Past, 11, 765–779, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-765-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-765-2015, 2015
S. Olin, G. Schurgers, M. Lindeskog, D. Wårlind, B. Smith, P. Bodin, J. Holmér, and A. Arneth
Biogeosciences, 12, 2489–2515, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2489-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-2489-2015, 2015
R. Guzinski, H. Nieto, S. Stisen, and R. Fensholt
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2017–2036, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2017-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2017-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The study compared evapotranspiration (ET) modelled by two remote sensing models and one hydrological model in a river catchment in Denmark. The results show that the spatial patterns of ET produced by the remote sensing models are more similar to each other than to the fluxes produced by the hydrological model. This indicates potential benefits to the hydrological modelling community from integrating spatial information derived through remote sensing methodology into the hydrological models.
G. Schurgers, F. Lagergren, M. Mölder, and A. Lindroth
Biogeosciences, 12, 237–256, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-237-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-237-2015, 2015
J. B. Fisher, M. Sikka, W. C. Oechel, D. N. Huntzinger, J. R. Melton, C. D. Koven, A. Ahlström, M. A. Arain, I. Baker, J. M. Chen, P. Ciais, C. Davidson, M. Dietze, B. El-Masri, D. Hayes, C. Huntingford, A. K. Jain, P. E. Levy, M. R. Lomas, B. Poulter, D. Price, A. K. Sahoo, K. Schaefer, H. Tian, E. Tomelleri, H. Verbeeck, N. Viovy, R. Wania, N. Zeng, and C. E. Miller
Biogeosciences, 11, 4271–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-4271-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-4271-2014, 2014
C. Delon, E. Mougin, D. Serça, M. Grippa, P. Hiernaux, M. Diawara, C. Galy-Lacaux, and L. Kergoat
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-11-11785-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-11-11785-2014, 2014
Revised manuscript not accepted
A. Arneth, S. Olin, R. Makkonen, P. Paasonen, T. Holst, M. Kajos, M. Kulmala, T. Maximov, P. A. Miller, and G. Schurgers
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-14-19149-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-14-19149-2014, 2014
Revised manuscript not accepted
M. Guimberteau, A. Ducharne, P. Ciais, J. P. Boisier, S. Peng, M. De Weirdt, and H. Verbeeck
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 1115–1136, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1115-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1115-2014, 2014
F. Lohou, L. Kergoat, F. Guichard, A. Boone, B. Cappelaere, J.-M. Cohard, J. Demarty, S. Galle, M. Grippa, C. Peugeot, D. Ramier, C. M. Taylor, and F. Timouk
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 3883–3898, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3883-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3883-2014, 2014
P. C. Stoy, M. C. Dietze, A. D. Richardson, R. Vargas, A. G. Barr, R. S. Anderson, M. A. Arain, I. T. Baker, T. A. Black, J. M. Chen, R. B. Cook, C. M. Gough, R. F. Grant, D. Y. Hollinger, R. C. Izaurralde, C. J. Kucharik, P. Lafleur, B. E. Law, S. Liu, E. Lokupitiya, Y. Luo, J. W. Munger, C. Peng, B. Poulter, D. T. Price, D. M. Ricciuto, W. J. Riley, A. K. Sahoo, K. Schaefer, C. R. Schwalm, H. Tian, H. Verbeeck, and E. Weng
Biogeosciences, 10, 6893–6909, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-6893-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-6893-2013, 2013
N. Unger, K. Harper, Y. Zheng, N. Y. Kiang, I. Aleinov, A. Arneth, G. Schurgers, C. Amelynck, A. Goldstein, A. Guenther, B. Heinesch, C. N. Hewitt, T. Karl, Q. Laffineur, B. Langford, K. A. McKinney, P. Misztal, M. Potosnak, J. Rinne, S. Pressley, N. Schoon, and D. Serça
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10243–10269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10243-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10243-2013, 2013
M. Mastepanov, C. Sigsgaard, T. Tagesson, L. Ström, M. P. Tamstorf, M. Lund, and T. R. Christensen
Biogeosciences, 10, 5139–5158, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5139-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5139-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Earth System Science/Response to Global Change: Climate Change
Toward more robust net primary production projections in the North Atlantic Ocean
Assessment framework to predict sensitivity of marine calcifiers to ocean alkalinity enhancement – identification of biological thresholds and importance of precautionary principle
Review and syntheses: Ocean alkalinity enhancement and carbon dioxide removal through marine enhanced rock weathering using olivine
Particle fluxes by subtropical pelagic communities under ocean alkalinity enhancement
Responses of field-grown maize to different soil types, water regimes, and contrasting vapor pressure deficit
Effect of the 2022 summer drought across forest types in Europe
Effect of terrestrial nutrient limitation on the estimation of the remaining carbon budget
Projected changes in forest fire season, the number of fires, and burnt area in Fennoscandia by 2100
New ozone–nitrogen model shows early senescence onset is the primary cause of ozone-induced reduction in grain quality of wheat
Ocean alkalinity enhancement approaches and the predictability of runaway precipitation processes: results of an experimental study to determine critical alkalinity ranges for safe and sustainable application scenarios
Long-term impacts of global temperature stabilization and overshoot on exploited marine species
Variations of polyphenols and carbohydrates of Emiliania huxleyi grown under simulated ocean acidification conditions
Modelling the nutritional implications of ozone on wheat protein and amino acids
Global and regional hydrological impacts of global forest expansion
Effects of pH/pCO2 fluctuation on photosynthesis and fatty acid composition of two marine diatoms, with reference to consequence of coastal acidification
Selecting allometric equations to estimate forest biomass from plot- rather than individual-level predictive performance
The biological and preformed carbon pumps in perpetually slower and warmer oceans
The Effectiveness of Agricultural Carbon Dioxide Removal using the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model
The Southern Ocean as the climate's freight train – driving ongoing global warming under zero-emission scenarios with ACCESS-ESM1.5
Mapping the future afforestation distribution of China constrained by a national afforestation plan and climate change
Southern Ocean phytoplankton under climate change: a shifting balance of bottom-up and top-down control
Coherency and time lag analyses between MODIS vegetation indices and climate across forests and grasslands in the European temperate zone
Direct foliar phosphorus uptake from wildfire ash
Disentangling future effects of climate change and forest disturbance on vegetation composition and land-surface properties of the boreal forest
The effect of forest cover changes on the regional climate conditions in Europe during the period 1986–2015
Consistency of global carbon budget between concentration- and emission-driven historical experiments simulated by CMIP6 Earth system models and suggestion for improved simulation of CO2 concentration
Carbon cycle feedbacks in an idealized simulation and a scenario simulation of negative emissions in CMIP6 Earth system models
Divergent responses of evergreen needle-leaf forests in Europe to the 2020 warm winter
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the increase in ocean acidity extremes in the northeastern Pacific
Anthropogenic climate change drives non-stationary phytoplankton internal variability
The response of wildfire regimes to Last Glacial Maximum carbon dioxide and climate
Simulated responses of soil carbon to climate change in CMIP6 Earth system models: the role of false priming
Alkalinity biases in CMIP6 Earth system models and implications for simulated CO2 drawdown via artificial alkalinity enhancement
Experiments of the efficacy of tree ring blue intensity as a climate proxy in central and western China
Burned area and carbon emissions across northwestern boreal North America from 2001–2019
Quantifying land carbon cycle feedbacks under negative CO2 emissions
The potential of an increased deciduous forest fraction to mitigate the effects of heat extremes in Europe
Ideas and perspectives: Alleviation of functional limitations by soil organisms is key to climate feedbacks from arctic soils
A comparison of the climate and carbon cycle effects of carbon removal by afforestation and an equivalent reduction in fossil fuel emissions
Stability of alkalinity in ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) approaches – consequences for durability of CO2 storage
Ideas and perspectives: Land–ocean connectivity through groundwater
Bioclimatic change as a function of global warming from CMIP6 climate projections
Reconciling different approaches to quantifying land surface temperature impacts of afforestation using satellite observations
Drivers of intermodel uncertainty in land carbon sink projections
Reviews and syntheses: A framework to observe, understand and project ecosystem response to environmental change in the East Antarctic Southern Ocean
Acidification impacts and acclimation potential of Caribbean benthic foraminifera assemblages in naturally discharging low-pH water
Monitoring vegetation condition using microwave remote sensing: the standardized vegetation optical depth index (SVODI)
Evaluation of soil carbon simulation in CMIP6 Earth system models
Diazotrophy as a key driver of the response of marine net primary productivity to climate change
Impact of negative and positive CO2 emissions on global warming metrics using an ensemble of Earth system model simulations
Stéphane Doléac, Marina Lévy, Roy El Hourany, and Laurent Bopp
Biogeosciences, 22, 841–862, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-841-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-841-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The marine biogeochemistry components of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models vary widely in their process representations. Using an innovative bioregionalization of the North Atlantic, we reveal that this model diversity largely drives the divergence in net primary production projections under a high-emission scenario. The identification of the most mechanistically realistic models allows for a substantial reduction in projection uncertainty.
Nina Bednaršek, Hanna van de Mortel, Greg Pelletier, Marisol García-Reyes, Richard A. Feely, and Andrew G. Dickson
Biogeosciences, 22, 473–498, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-473-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-473-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The environmental impacts of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) are unknown. Our synthesis, based on 68 collected studies with 84 unique species, shows that 35 % of species respond positively, 26 % respond negatively, and 39 % show a neutral response to alkalinity addition. Biological thresholds were found from 50 to 500 µmol kg−1 NaOH addition. A precautionary approach is warranted to avoid potential risks, while current regulatory framework needs improvements to assure safe biological limits.
Luna J. J. Geerts, Astrid Hylén, and Filip J. R. Meysman
Biogeosciences, 22, 355–384, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-355-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-355-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Marine enhanced rock weathering (mERW) with olivine is a promising method for capturing CO2 from the atmosphere, yet studies in field conditions are lacking. We bridge the gap between theoretical studies and the real-world environment by estimating the predictability of mERW parameters and identifying aspects to consider when applying mERW. A major source of uncertainty is the lack of experimental studies with sediment, which can heavily influence the speed and efficiency of CO2 drawdown.
Philipp Suessle, Jan Taucher, Silvan Urs Goldenberg, Moritz Baumann, Kristian Spilling, Andrea Noche-Ferreira, Mari Vanharanta, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 22, 71–86, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-71-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-71-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a negative emission technology which may alter marine communities and the particle export they drive. Here, impacts of carbonate-based OAE on the flux and attenuation of sinking particles in an oligotrophic plankton community are presented. Whilst biological parameters remained unaffected, abiotic carbonate precipitation occurred. Among counteracting OAE’s efficiency, it influenced mineral ballasting and particle sinking velocities, requiring monitoring.
Thuy Huu Nguyen, Thomas Gaiser, Jan Vanderborght, Andrea Schnepf, Felix Bauer, Anja Klotzsche, Lena Lärm, Hubert Hüging, and Frank Ewert
Biogeosciences, 21, 5495–5515, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5495-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5495-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Leaf water potential was at certain thresholds, depending on soil type, water treatment, and weather conditions. In rainfed plots, the lower water availability in the stony soil resulted in fewer roots with a higher root tissue conductance than the silty soil. In the silty soil, higher stress in the rainfed soil led to more roots with a lower root tissue conductance than in the irrigated plot. Crop responses to water stress can be opposite, depending on soil water conditions that are compared.
Mana Gharun, Ankit Shekhar, Jingfeng Xiao, Xing Li, and Nina Buchmann
Biogeosciences, 21, 5481–5494, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5481-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5481-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In 2022, Europe's forests faced unprecedented dry conditions. Our study aimed to understand how different forest types respond to extreme drought. Using meteorological data and satellite imagery, we compared 2022 with two previous extreme years, 2003 and 2018. Despite less severe drought in 2022, forests showed a 30 % greater decline in photosynthesis compared to 2018 and 60 % more than 2003. This suggests an alarming level of vulnerability of forests across Europe to more frequent droughts.
Makcim L. De Sisto and Andrew H. MacDougall
Biogeosciences, 21, 4853–4873, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4853-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4853-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The remaining carbon budget (RCB) represents the allowable future CO2 emissions before a temperature target is reached. Understanding the uncertainty in the RCB is critical for effective climate regulation and policy-making. One major source of uncertainty is the representation of the carbon cycle in Earth system models. We assessed how nutrient limitation affects the estimation of the RCB. We found a reduction in the estimated RCB when nutrient limitation is taken into account.
Outi Kinnunen, Leif Backman, Juha Aalto, Tuula Aalto, and Tiina Markkanen
Biogeosciences, 21, 4739–4763, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4739-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4739-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change is expected to increase the risk of forest fires. Ecosystem process model simulations are used to project changes in fire occurrence in Fennoscandia under six climate projections. The findings suggest a longer fire season, more fires, and an increase in burnt area towards the end of the century.
Jo Cook, Clare Brewster, Felicity Hayes, Nathan Booth, Sam Bland, Pritha Pande, Samarthia Thankappan, Håkan Pleijel, and Lisa Emberson
Biogeosciences, 21, 4809–4835, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4809-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4809-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
At ground level, the air pollutant ozone (O3) damages wheat yield and quality. We modified the DO3SE-Crop model to simulate O3 effects on wheat quality and identified onset of leaf death as the key process affecting wheat quality upon O3 exposure. This aligns with expectations, as the onset of leaf death aids nutrient transfer from leaves to grains. Breeders should prioritize wheat varieties resistant to protein loss from delayed leaf death, to maintain yield and quality under O3 exposure.
Niels Suitner, Giulia Faucher, Carl Lim, Julieta Schneider, Charly A. Moras, Ulf Riebesell, and Jens Hartmann
Biogeosciences, 21, 4587–4604, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4587-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4587-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Recent studies described the precipitation of carbonates as a result of alkalinity enhancement in seawater, which could adversely affect the carbon sequestration potential of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) approaches. By conducting experiments in natural seawater, this study observed uniform patterns during the triggered runaway carbonate precipitation, which allow the prediction of safe and efficient local application levels of OAE scenarios.
Anne L. Morée, Fabrice Lacroix, William W. L. Cheung, and Thomas L. Frölicher
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3090, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3090, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using novel Earth system model simulations and applying the Aerobic Growth Index, we show that only about half of the habitat loss for marine species is realized when temperature stabilization is initially reached. The maximum habitat loss happens over a century after peak warming in an overshoot scenario peaking at 2 °C before stabilizing at 1.5 °C. We also emphasize that species adaptation may play a key role in mitigating the long-term impacts of temperature stabilization and overshoot.
Milagros Rico, Paula Santiago-Díaz, Guillermo Samperio-Ramos, Melchor González-Dávila, and Juana Magdalena Santana-Casiano
Biogeosciences, 21, 4381–4394, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4381-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4381-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Changes in pH generate stress conditions, either because high pH drastically decreases the availability of trace metals such as Fe(II), a restrictive element for primary productivity, or because reactive oxygen species are increased with low pH. The metabolic functions and composition of microalgae can be affected. These modifications in metabolites are potential factors leading to readjustments in phytoplankton community structure and diversity and possible alteration in marine ecosystems.
Jo Cook, Durgesh Singh Yadav, Felicity Hayes, Nathan Booth, Sam Bland, Pritha Pande, Samarthia Thankappan, and Lisa Emberson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2968, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2968, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ozone (O3) pollution reduces wheat yields and quality in India, affecting amino acids essential for nutrition, like lysine and methionine. Here, we improve the DO3SE-CropN model to simulate wheat’s protective processes against O3 and their impact on protein and amino acid concentrations. While the model captures O3-induced yield losses, it underestimates amino acid reductions. Further research is needed to refine the model, enabling future risk assessments of O3's impact on yields and nutrition.
James A. King, James Weber, Peter Lawrence, Stephanie Roe, Abigail L. S. Swann, and Maria Val Martin
Biogeosciences, 21, 3883–3902, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3883-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3883-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Tackling climate change by adding, restoring, or enhancing forests is gaining global support. However, it is important to investigate the broader implications of this. We used a computer model of the Earth to investigate a future where tree cover expanded as much as possible. We found that some tropical areas were cooler because of trees pumping water into the atmosphere, but this also led to soil and rivers drying. This is important because it might be harder to maintain forests as a result.
Yu Shang, Jingmin Qiu, Yuxi Weng, Xin Wang, Di Zhang, Yuwei Zhou, Juntian Xu, and Futian Li
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2430, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2430, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Coastal waters are characterized by dynamic pH due to a range of natural and anthropogenic factors. However, research on influences of dynamic pH on marine ecosystem is still in its infancy. We manipulated the culturing pH to simulate pH fluctuation and found lower pH could increase EPA and DHA production with unaltered growth and photosynthesis. Effects of seawater acidification on primary production could be overestimated if the prediction doesn’t take pH variability into account.
Nicolas Picard, Noël Fonton, Faustin Boyemba Bosela, Adeline Fayolle, Joël Loumeto, Gabriel Ngua Ayecaba, Bonaventure Sonké, Olga Diane Yongo Bombo, Hervé Martial Maïdou, and Alfred Ngomanda
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2302, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2302, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Allometric equations predict tree biomass and are crucial for estimating forest carbon storage, thus assessing forests' role in climate change mitigation. Usually, these equations are selected based on tree-level predictive performance. However, we evaluated the model performance at plot and forest levels, finding it varies with plot size. This has significant implications for reducing uncertainty in biomass estimates at these levels.
Benoît Pasquier, Mark Holzer, and Matthew A. Chamberlain
Biogeosciences, 21, 3373–3400, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3373-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3373-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
How do perpetually slower and warmer oceans sequester carbon? Compared to the preindustrial state, we find that biological productivity declines despite warming-stimulated growth because of a lower nutrient supply from depth. This throttles the biological carbon pump, which still sequesters more carbon because it takes longer to return to the surface. The deep ocean is isolated from the surface, allowing more carbon from the atmosphere to pass through the ocean without contributing to biology.
Rebecca Chloe Evans and H. Damon Matthews
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1810, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1810, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
To mitigate our impact on the climate, research suggests that we will need to both drastically reduce emissions and perform carbon dioxide removal (CDR). We simulated future climates under three emissions scenarios, in which we removed some carbon from the air and put it into agricultural soil at varying rates. We found that agricultural CDR is much more effective at reducing global temperatures if done in a low emissions scenario and at a high rate, and it becomes less effective with time.
Matthew A. Chamberlain, Tilo Ziehn, and Rachel M. Law
Biogeosciences, 21, 3053–3073, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3053-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3053-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This paper explores the climate processes that drive increasing global average temperatures in zero-emission commitment (ZEC) simulations despite decreasing atmospheric CO2. ACCESS-ESM1.5 shows the Southern Ocean to continue to warm locally in all ZEC simulations. In ZEC simulations that start after the emission of more than 1000 Pg of carbon, the influence of the Southern Ocean increases the global temperature.
Shuaifeng Song, Xuezhen Zhang, and Xiaodong Yan
Biogeosciences, 21, 2839–2858, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2839-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2839-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We mapped the distribution of future potential afforestation regions based on future high-resolution climate data and climate–vegetation models. After considering the national afforestation policy and climate change, we found that the future potential afforestation region was mainly located around and to the east of the Hu Line. This study provides a dataset for exploring the effects of future afforestation.
Tianfei Xue, Jens Terhaar, A. E. Friederike Prowe, Thomas L. Frölicher, Andreas Oschlies, and Ivy Frenger
Biogeosciences, 21, 2473–2491, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2473-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2473-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Phytoplankton play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. However, climate change's impact on phytoplankton biomass remains uncertain, particularly in the Southern Ocean. In this region, phytoplankton biomass within the water column is likely to remain stable in response to climate change, as supported by models. This stability arises from a shallower mixed layer, favoring phytoplankton growth but also increasing zooplankton grazing due to phytoplankton concentration near the surface.
Kinga Kulesza and Agata Hościło
Biogeosciences, 21, 2509–2527, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2509-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2509-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present coherence and time lags in spectral response of three vegetation types in the European temperate zone to the influencing meteorological factors and teleconnection indices for the period 2002–2022. Vegetation condition in broadleaved forest, coniferous forest and pastures was measured with MODIS NDVI and EVI, and the coherence between NDVI and EVI and meteorological elements was described using the methods of wavelet coherence and Pearson’s linear correlation with time lag.
Anton Lokshin, Daniel Palchan, and Avner Gross
Biogeosciences, 21, 2355–2365, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2355-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2355-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ash particles from wildfires are rich in phosphorus (P), a crucial nutrient that constitutes a limiting factor in 43 % of the world's land ecosystems. We hypothesize that wildfire ash could directly contribute to plant nutrition. We find that fire ash application boosts the growth of plants, but the only way plants can uptake P from fire ash is through the foliar uptake pathway and not through the roots. The fertilization impact of fire ash was also maintained under elevated levels of CO2.
Lucia S. Layritz, Konstantin Gregor, Andreas Krause, Stefan Kruse, Ben F. Meyer, Tom A. M. Pugh, and Anja Rammig
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1028, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1028, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Disturbances (e.g. fire) can change which species grow in a forest, affecting water, carbon, energy flows, and the climate. They are expected to increase with climate change, but it is uncertain by how much. We studied how future climate and disturbances might impact vegetation with a simulation model. Our findings highlight the importance of considering both factors, with future disturbance patterns posing significant uncertainty. More research is needed to understand their future development.
Marcus Breil, Vanessa K. M. Schneider, and Joaquim G. Pinto
Biogeosciences, 21, 811–824, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-811-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-811-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The general impact of afforestation on the regional climate conditions in Europe during the period 1986–2015 is investigated. For this purpose, a regional climate model simulation is performed, in which afforestation during this period is considered, and results are compared to a simulation in which this is not the case. Results show that afforestation had discernible impacts on the climate change signal in Europe, which may have mitigated the local warming trend, especially in summer in Europe.
Tomohiro Hajima, Michio Kawamiya, Akihiko Ito, Kaoru Tachiiri, Chris Jones, Vivek Arora, Victor Brovkin, Roland Séférian, Spencer Liddicoat, Pierre Friedlingstein, and Elena Shevliakova
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-188, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-188, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyzes atmospheric CO2 concentrations and global carbon budgets simulated by multiple Earth system models, using several types of simulations. We successfully identified problems of global carbon budget in each model. We also found urgent issues that should be solved in the latest generation of models, land use change CO2 emissions.
Ali Asaadi, Jörg Schwinger, Hanna Lee, Jerry Tjiputra, Vivek Arora, Roland Séférian, Spencer Liddicoat, Tomohiro Hajima, Yeray Santana-Falcón, and Chris D. Jones
Biogeosciences, 21, 411–435, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-411-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-411-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Carbon cycle feedback metrics are employed to assess phases of positive and negative CO2 emissions. When emissions become negative, we find that the model disagreement in feedback metrics increases more strongly than expected from the assumption that the uncertainties accumulate linearly with time. The geographical patterns of such metrics over land highlight that differences in response between tropical/subtropical and temperate/boreal ecosystems are a major source of model disagreement.
Mana Gharun, Ankit Shekhar, Lukas Hörtnagl, Luana Krebs, Nicola Arriga, Mirco Migliavacca, Marilyn Roland, Bert Gielen, Leonardo Montagnani, Enrico Tomelleri, Ladislav Šigut, Matthias Peichl, Peng Zhao, Marius Schmidt, Thomas Grünwald, Mika Korkiakoski, Annalea Lohila, and Nina Buchmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2964, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2964, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Effect of winter warming on forest CO2 fluxes has rarely been investigated. We tested the effect of the warm winter in 2020 on the forest CO2 fluxes across 14 sites in Europe and found that in colder sites net ecosystem productivity (NEP) declined during the warm winter, while in the warmer sites NEP increased. Warming leads to increased respiration fluxes but if not translated into a direct warming of the soil might not enhance productivity, if the soil within the rooting zone remains frozen.
Flora Desmet, Matthias Münnich, and Nicolas Gruber
Biogeosciences, 20, 5151–5175, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5151-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5151-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ocean acidity extremes in the upper 250 m depth of the northeastern Pacific rapidly increase with atmospheric CO2 rise, which is worrisome for marine organisms that rapidly experience pH levels outside their local environmental conditions. Presented research shows the spatiotemporal heterogeneity in this increase between regions and depths. In particular, the subsurface increase is substantially slowed down by the presence of mesoscale eddies, often not resolved in Earth system models.
Geneviève W. Elsworth, Nicole S. Lovenduski, Kristen M. Krumhardt, Thomas M. Marchitto, and Sarah Schlunegger
Biogeosciences, 20, 4477–4490, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4477-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4477-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Anthropogenic climate change will influence marine phytoplankton over the coming century. Here, we quantify the influence of anthropogenic climate change on marine phytoplankton internal variability using an Earth system model ensemble and identify a decline in global phytoplankton biomass variance with warming. Our results suggest that climate mitigation efforts that account for marine phytoplankton changes should also consider changes in phytoplankton variance driven by anthropogenic warming.
Olivia Haas, Iain Colin Prentice, and Sandy P. Harrison
Biogeosciences, 20, 3981–3995, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3981-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3981-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We quantify the impact of CO2 and climate on global patterns of burnt area, fire size, and intensity under Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) conditions using three climate scenarios. Climate change alone did not produce the observed LGM reduction in burnt area, but low CO2 did through reducing vegetation productivity. Fire intensity was sensitive to CO2 but strongly affected by changes in atmospheric dryness. Low CO2 caused smaller fires; climate had the opposite effect except in the driest scenario.
Rebecca M. Varney, Sarah E. Chadburn, Eleanor J. Burke, Simon Jones, Andy J. Wiltshire, and Peter M. Cox
Biogeosciences, 20, 3767–3790, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3767-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3767-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluates soil carbon projections during the 21st century in CMIP6 Earth system models. In general, we find a reduced spread of changes in global soil carbon in CMIP6 compared to the previous CMIP5 generation. The reduced CMIP6 spread arises from an emergent relationship between soil carbon changes due to change in plant productivity and soil carbon changes due to changes in turnover time. We show that this relationship is consistent with false priming under transient climate change.
Claudia Hinrichs, Peter Köhler, Christoph Völker, and Judith Hauck
Biogeosciences, 20, 3717–3735, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3717-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3717-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluated the alkalinity distribution in 14 climate models and found that most models underestimate alkalinity at the surface and overestimate it in the deeper ocean. It highlights the need for better understanding and quantification of processes driving alkalinity distribution and calcium carbonate dissolution and the importance of accounting for biases in model results when evaluating potential ocean alkalinity enhancement experiments.
Yonghong Zheng, Huanfeng Shen, Rory Abernethy, and Rob Wilson
Biogeosciences, 20, 3481–3490, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3481-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3481-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Investigations in central and western China show that tree ring inverted latewood intensity expresses a strong positive relationship with growing-season temperatures, indicating exciting potential for regions south of 30° N that are traditionally not targeted for temperature reconstructions. Earlywood BI also shows good potential to reconstruct hydroclimate parameters in some humid areas and will enhance ring-width-based hydroclimate reconstructions in the future.
Stefano Potter, Sol Cooperdock, Sander Veraverbeke, Xanthe Walker, Michelle C. Mack, Scott J. Goetz, Jennifer Baltzer, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, Arden Burrell, Catherine Dieleman, Nancy French, Stijn Hantson, Elizabeth E. Hoy, Liza Jenkins, Jill F. Johnstone, Evan S. Kane, Susan M. Natali, James T. Randerson, Merritt R. Turetsky, Ellen Whitman, Elizabeth Wiggins, and Brendan M. Rogers
Biogeosciences, 20, 2785–2804, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2785-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2785-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Here we developed a new burned-area detection algorithm between 2001–2019 across Alaska and Canada at 500 m resolution. We estimate 2.37 Mha burned annually between 2001–2019 over the domain, emitting 79.3 Tg C per year, with a mean combustion rate of 3.13 kg C m−2. We found larger-fire years were generally associated with greater mean combustion. The burned-area and combustion datasets described here can be used for local- to continental-scale applications of boreal fire science.
V. Rachel Chimuka, Claude-Michel Nzotungicimpaye, and Kirsten Zickfeld
Biogeosciences, 20, 2283–2299, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2283-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2283-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a new method to quantify carbon cycle feedbacks under negative CO2 emissions. Our method isolates the lagged carbon cycle response to preceding positive emissions from the response to negative emissions. Our findings suggest that feedback parameters calculated with the novel approach are larger than those calculated with the conventional approach whereby carbon cycle inertia is not corrected for, with implications for the effectiveness of carbon dioxide removal in reducing CO2 levels.
Marcus Breil, Annabell Weber, and Joaquim G. Pinto
Biogeosciences, 20, 2237–2250, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2237-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2237-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A promising strategy for mitigating burdens of heat extremes in Europe is to replace dark coniferous forests with brighter deciduous forests. The consequence of this would be reduced absorption of solar radiation, which should reduce the intensities of heat periods. In this study, we show that deciduous forests have a certain cooling effect on heat period intensities in Europe. However, the magnitude of the temperature reduction is quite small.
Gesche Blume-Werry, Jonatan Klaminder, Eveline J. Krab, and Sylvain Monteux
Biogeosciences, 20, 1979–1990, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1979-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1979-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Northern soils store a lot of carbon. Most research has focused on how this carbon storage is regulated by cold temperatures. However, it is soil organisms, from minute bacteria to large earthworms, that decompose the organic material. Novel soil organisms from further south could increase decomposition rates more than climate change does and lead to carbon losses. We therefore advocate for including soil organisms when predicting the fate of soil functions in warming northern ecosystems.
Koramanghat Unnikrishnan Jayakrishnan and Govindasamy Bala
Biogeosciences, 20, 1863–1877, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1863-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1863-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Afforestation and reducing fossil fuel emissions are two important mitigation strategies to reduce the amount of global warming. Our work shows that reducing fossil fuel emissions is relatively more effective than afforestation for the same amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere. However, understanding of the processes that govern the biophysical effects of afforestation should be improved before considering our results for climate policy.
Jens Hartmann, Niels Suitner, Carl Lim, Julieta Schneider, Laura Marín-Samper, Javier Arístegui, Phil Renforth, Jan Taucher, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 20, 781–802, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-781-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-781-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
CO2 can be stored in the ocean via increasing alkalinity of ocean water. Alkalinity can be created via dissolution of alkaline materials, like limestone or soda. Presented research studies boundaries for increasing alkalinity in seawater. The best way to increase alkalinity was found using an equilibrated solution, for example as produced from reactors. Adding particles for dissolution into seawater on the other hand produces the risk of losing alkalinity and degassing of CO2 to the atmosphere.
Damian L. Arévalo-Martínez, Amir Haroon, Hermann W. Bange, Ercan Erkul, Marion Jegen, Nils Moosdorf, Jens Schneider von Deimling, Christian Berndt, Michael Ernst Böttcher, Jasper Hoffmann, Volker Liebetrau, Ulf Mallast, Gudrun Massmann, Aaron Micallef, Holly A. Michael, Hendrik Paasche, Wolfgang Rabbel, Isaac Santos, Jan Scholten, Katrin Schwalenberg, Beata Szymczycha, Ariel T. Thomas, Joonas J. Virtasalo, Hannelore Waska, and Bradley A. Weymer
Biogeosciences, 20, 647–662, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-647-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-647-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater flows at the land–ocean transition and the extent of freshened groundwater below the seafloor are increasingly relevant in marine sciences, both because they are a highly uncertain term of biogeochemical budgets and due to the emerging interest in the latter as a resource. Here, we discuss our perspectives on future research directions to better understand land–ocean connectivity through groundwater and its potential responses to natural and human-induced environmental changes.
Morgan Sparey, Peter Cox, and Mark S. Williamson
Biogeosciences, 20, 451–488, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-451-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-451-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate climate models are vital for mitigating climate change; however, projections often disagree. Using Köppen–Geiger bioclimate classifications we show that CMIP6 climate models agree well on the fraction of global land surface that will change classification per degree of global warming. We find that 13 % of land will change climate per degree of warming from 1 to 3 K; thus, stabilising warming at 1.5 rather than 2 K would save over 7.5 million square kilometres from bioclimatic change.
Huanhuan Wang, Chao Yue, and Sebastiaan Luyssaert
Biogeosciences, 20, 75–92, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-75-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-75-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study provided a synthesis of three influential methods to quantify afforestation impact on surface temperature. Results showed that actual effect following afforestation was highly dependent on afforestation fraction. When full afforestation is assumed, the actual effect approaches the potential effect. We provided evidence the afforestation faction is a key factor in reconciling different methods and emphasized that it should be considered for surface cooling impacts in policy evaluation.
Ryan S. Padrón, Lukas Gudmundsson, Laibao Liu, Vincent Humphrey, and Sonia I. Seneviratne
Biogeosciences, 19, 5435–5448, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5435-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5435-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The answer to how much carbon land ecosystems are projected to remove from the atmosphere until 2100 is different for each Earth system model. We find that differences across models are primarily explained by the annual land carbon sink dependence on temperature and soil moisture, followed by the dependence on CO2 air concentration, and by average climate conditions. Our insights on why each model projects a relatively high or low land carbon sink can help to reduce the underlying uncertainty.
Julian Gutt, Stefanie Arndt, David Keith Alan Barnes, Horst Bornemann, Thomas Brey, Olaf Eisen, Hauke Flores, Huw Griffiths, Christian Haas, Stefan Hain, Tore Hattermann, Christoph Held, Mario Hoppema, Enrique Isla, Markus Janout, Céline Le Bohec, Heike Link, Felix Christopher Mark, Sebastien Moreau, Scarlett Trimborn, Ilse van Opzeeland, Hans-Otto Pörtner, Fokje Schaafsma, Katharina Teschke, Sandra Tippenhauer, Anton Van de Putte, Mia Wege, Daniel Zitterbart, and Dieter Piepenburg
Biogeosciences, 19, 5313–5342, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5313-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5313-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Long-term ecological observations are key to assess, understand and predict impacts of environmental change on biotas. We present a multidisciplinary framework for such largely lacking investigations in the East Antarctic Southern Ocean, combined with case studies, experimental and modelling work. As climate change is still minor here but is projected to start soon, the timely implementation of this framework provides the unique opportunity to document its ecological impacts from the very onset.
Daniel François, Adina Paytan, Olga Maria Oliveira de Araújo, Ricardo Tadeu Lopes, and Cátia Fernandes Barbosa
Biogeosciences, 19, 5269–5285, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5269-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5269-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Our analysis revealed that under the two most conservative acidification projections foraminifera assemblages did not display considerable changes. However, a significant decrease in species richness was observed when pH decreases to 7.7 pH units, indicating adverse effects under high-acidification scenarios. A micro-CT analysis revealed that calcified tests of Archaias angulatus were of lower density in low pH, suggesting no acclimation capacity for this species.
Leander Moesinger, Ruxandra-Maria Zotta, Robin van der Schalie, Tracy Scanlon, Richard de Jeu, and Wouter Dorigo
Biogeosciences, 19, 5107–5123, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5107-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5107-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The standardized vegetation optical depth index (SVODI) can be used to monitor the vegetation condition, such as whether the vegetation is unusually dry or wet. SVODI has global coverage, spans the past 3 decades and is derived from multiple spaceborne passive microwave sensors of that period. SVODI is based on a new probabilistic merging method that allows the merging of normally distributed data even if the data are not gap-free.
Rebecca M. Varney, Sarah E. Chadburn, Eleanor J. Burke, and Peter M. Cox
Biogeosciences, 19, 4671–4704, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4671-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4671-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Soil carbon is the Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon store, and the response to climate change represents one of the key uncertainties in obtaining accurate global carbon budgets required to successfully militate against climate change. The ability of climate models to simulate present-day soil carbon is therefore vital. This study assesses soil carbon simulation in the latest ensemble of models which allows key areas for future model development to be identified.
Laurent Bopp, Olivier Aumont, Lester Kwiatkowski, Corentin Clerc, Léonard Dupont, Christian Ethé, Thomas Gorgues, Roland Séférian, and Alessandro Tagliabue
Biogeosciences, 19, 4267–4285, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4267-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4267-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The impact of anthropogenic climate change on the biological production of phytoplankton in the ocean is a cause for concern because its evolution could affect the response of marine ecosystems to climate change. Here, we identify biological N fixation and its response to future climate change as a key process in shaping the future evolution of marine phytoplankton production. Our results show that further study of how this nitrogen fixation responds to environmental change is essential.
Negar Vakilifard, Richard G. Williams, Philip B. Holden, Katherine Turner, Neil R. Edwards, and David J. Beerling
Biogeosciences, 19, 4249–4265, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4249-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4249-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
To remain within the Paris climate agreement, there is an increasing need to develop and implement carbon capture and sequestration techniques. The global climate benefits of implementing negative emission technologies over the next century are assessed using an Earth system model covering a wide range of plausible climate states. In some model realisations, there is continued warming after emissions cease. This continued warming is avoided if negative emissions are incorporated.
Cited articles
Adole, T., Dash, J., Rodriguez-Galiano, V., and Atkinson, P. M.: Photoperiod
controls vegetation phenology across Africa, Commun. Biol., 2, 391,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0636-7, 2019.
Ahlstrom, A., Raupach, M. R., Schurgers, G., Smith, B., Arneth, A., Jung,
M., Reichstein, M., Canadell, J. G., Friedlingstein, P., Jain, A. K., Kato,
E., Poulter, B., Sitch, S., Stocker, B. D., Viovy, N., Wang, Y. P.,
Wiltshire, A., Zaehle, S., and Zeng, N.: The dominant role of semi-arid
ecosystems in the trend and variability of the land CO2 sink, Science 348, 895–899, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa1668, 2015.
Barron-Gafford, G. A., Sanchez-Caañete, E. P., Minor, R. L., Hendryx, S. M., Lee, E., Sutter,
L. F., Tran, N., Parra, E., Colella, T., Murphy, P. C., Hamerlynck, E. P., Kumar, P., and Scott, R. L.:
Impacts of hydraulic redistribution on grass–tree competition vs facilitation in a semi-arid savanna,
New Phytol., 215, 1451–1461, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14693, 2017.
Baudena, M., Dekker, S. C., van Bodegom, P. M., Cuesta, B., Higgins, S. I., Lehsten, V., Reick, C. H., Rietkerk, M., Scheiter, S., Yin, Z., Zavala, M. A., and Brovkin, V.: Forests, savannas, and grasslands: bridging the knowledge gap between ecology and Dynamic Global Vegetation Models, Biogeosciences, 12, 1833–1848, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-1833-2015, 2015.
Beck, H. E., Vergopolan, N., Pan, M., Levizzani, V., van Dijk, A. I. J. M., Weedon, G. P., Brocca, L., Pappenberger, F., Huffman, G. J., and Wood, E. F.: Global-scale evaluation of 22 precipitation datasets using gauge observations and hydrological modeling, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 6201–6217, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6201-2017, 2017.
Beck, H. E., Pan, M., Roy, T., Weedon, G. P., Pappenberger, F., van Dijk, A. I. J. M., Huffman, G. J., Adler, R. F., and Wood, E. F.: Daily evaluation of 26 precipitation datasets using Stage-IV gauge-radar data for the CONUS, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 207–224, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-207-2019, 2019.
Berry, R. S. and Kulmatiski, A.: A savanna response to precipitation
intensity, PLoS One, 12, 1–18, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175402, 2017.
Biasutti, M.: Rainfall trends in the African Sahel: Characteristics,
processes, and causes, Wires. Clim. Chang., 10, e591,
https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.591, 2019.
Boke-Olén, N., Lehsten, V., Abdi, A. M., Ardö, J., and Khatir, A. A.:
Estimating Grazing Potentials in Sudan Using Daily Carbon Allocation in
Dynamic Vegetation Model, Rangel. Ecol. Manag., 71, 792–797,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2018.06.006, 2018.
Boulain, N., Cappelaere, B., Ramier, D., Issoufou, H. B. A., Halilou, O.,
Seghieri, J., Guillemin, F., Oï, M., Gignoux, J., and Timouk, F.:
Towards an understanding of coupled physical and biological processes in the
cultivated Sahel – 2. Vegetation and carbon dynamics, J. Hydrol., 375,
190–203, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2008.11.045, 2009.
Brandt, M., Rasmussen, K., Peñuelas, J., Tian, F., Schurgers, G., Verger, A., Mertz, O., Palmer,
J. R. B., and Fensholt, R.: Human population growth offsets climate-driven increase in woody
vegetation in sub-Saharan Africa, Nat. Ecol. Evol., 1, 0081, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0081,
2017.
Brandt, M., Wigneron, J. P., Chave, J., Tagesson, T., Penuelas, J., Ciais,
P., Rasmussen, K., Tian, F., Mbow, C., Al-Yaari, A., Rodriguez-Fernandez,
N., Schurgers, G., Zhang, W., Chang, J., Kerr, Y., Verger, A., Tucker, C.,
Mialon, A., Rasmussen, L. V., Fan, L., and Fensholt, R.: Satellite passive
microwaves reveal recent climate-induced carbon losses in African drylands,
Nat. Ecol. Evol., 2, 827–835, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0530-6, 2018.
Brandt, M., Hiernaux, P., Rasmussen, K., Tucker, C. J., Wigneron, J. P.,
Diouf, A. A., Herrmann, S. M., Zhang, W., Kergoat, L., Mbow, C., Abel, C.,
Auda, Y., and Fensholt, R.: Changes in rainfall distribution promote woody
foliage production in the Sahel, Commun. Biol., 2, 1–10,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0383-9, 2019.
Case, M. F. and Staver, A. C.: Soil texture mediates tree responses to
rainfall intensity in African savannas, New Phytol., 219, 1363–1372,
https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15254, 2018.
Dannenberg, M. P., Wise, E. K., and Smith, W. K.: Reduced tree growth in the semiarid
United States due to asymmetric responses to intensifying precipitation extremes, Sci. Adv., 5
1–11, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw0667, 2019.
Do, F. C., Rocheteau, A., Diagne, A. L., Goudiaby, V., Granier, A., and
Lhomme, J. P.: Stable annual pattern of water use by Acacia tortilis in
Sahelian Africa, Tree Physiol., 28, 95–104,
https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/28.1.95, 2008.
Dodd, M. B., Lauenroth, W. K., and Welker, J. M.: Differential water resource
use by herbaceous and woody plant life-forms in a shortgrass steppe
community, Oecologia, 117, 504–512, https://doi.org/10.1007/s004420050686, 1998.
D'Onofrio, D., Sweeney, L., von Hardenberg, J., and Baudena, M.: Grass and
tree cover responses to intra-seasonal rainfall variability vary along a
rainfall gradient in African tropical grassy biomes, Sci. Rep.-UK, 9, 1–10,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-38933-9, 2019.
Dunning, C. M., Black, E., and Allan, R. P.: Later wet seasons with more intense rainfall over
Africa under future climate change, J. Clim., 31, 9719–9738, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0102.1,
2018.
FAO: FAO/Unesco Soil Map of the World, World Soil Resources Reports 60,
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 140 pp., 1988.
Fekete, B. M., Vörösmarty, C. J., and Grabs, W.: High-resolution
fields of global runoff combining observed river discharge and simulated
water balances, Global Biogeochem. Cy., 16, 1–10,
https://doi.org/10.1029/1999gb001254, 2002.
Gerten, D., Schaphoff, S., Haberlandt, U., Lucht, W., and Sitch, S.:
Terrestrial vegetation and water balance – Hydrological evaluation of a
dynamic global vegetation model, J. Hydrol., 286, 249–270,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2003.09.029, 2004.
Gherardi, L. A. and Sala, O. E.: Enhanced precipitation variability
decreases grass- and increases shrub-productivity, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 112, 12735–12740, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1506433112, 2015.
Gilbert, N.: Science enters desert debate, Nature, 477, 262–262,
https://doi.org/10.1038/477262a, 2011.
Good, S. P. and Caylor, K. K.: Climatological determinants of woody cover in
Africa, P. Natl. Acad. Sci., 108, 4902–4907,
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1013100108, 2011.
Grace, J., José, J. S., Meir, P., Miranda, H. S., and Montes, R. A.:
Productivity and carbon fluxes of tropical savannas, J. Biogeogr., 33,
387–400, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01448.x, 2006.
Grippa, M., Kergoat, L., Boone, A., Peugeot, C., Demarty, J., Cappelaere,
B., Gal, L., Hiernaux, P., Mougin, E., Ducharne, A., Dutra, E., Anderson,
M., Hain, C., Ait-Mesbah, S., Polcher, J., Balsamo, G., Boussetta, S.,
Pappenberger, F., Favot, F., Guichard, F., Kaptue, A., Roujean, J. L.,
Chaffard, V., Cohard, J. M., Gascon, T., Galle, S., Hector, B., Lebel, T.,
Pellarin, T., Richard, A., Quantin, G., Chan, E., Verseghy, D., Magand, C.,
Getirana, A., Pierre, C., Gusev, Y., Nasonova, O., Harris, P., He, X.,
Yorozu, K., Kotsuki, S., Tanaka, K., Kim, H., Oki, T., Kumar, S., Lo, M. H.,
Mahanama, S., Maignan, F., Ottlé, C., Mamadou, O., Shmakin, A.,
Sokratov, V., and Turkov, D.: Modeling Surface runoff and water fluxes over
contrasted soils in the pastoral sahel: Evaluation of the ALMIP2 land
surface models over the Gourma Region in Mali, J. Hydrometeorol., 18,
1847–1866, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-16-0170.1, 2017.
Guan, K., Good, S. P., Caylor, K. K., Medvigy, D., Pan, M., Wood, E. F.,
Sato, H., Biasutti, M., Chen, M., Ahlström, A., and Xu, X.: Simulated
sensitivity of African terrestrial ecosystem photosynthesis to rainfall
frequency, intensity, and rainy season length, Environ. Res. Lett., 13, 025013,
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa9f30, 2018.
Haub, C. and Toshiko, K.:
2014 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC
USA, 2014.
Ibrahim, F.: Causes of the famine among the rural population of the
Sahelian zone of the Sudan, GeoJ., 17, 133–141, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209083, 1988.
IPCC: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report, Contribution of Working
Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp., 2014.
Kulmatiski, A. and Beard, K. H.: Woody plant encroachment facilitated by
increased precipitation intensity, Nat. Clim. Change, 3, 833–837,
https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1904, 2013.
Leauthaud, C., Cappelaere, B., Demarty, J., Guichard, F., Velluet, C.,
Kergoat, L., Vischel, T., Grippa, M., Mouhaimouni, M., Bouzou Moussa, I.,
Mainassara, I., and Sultan, B.: A 60-year reconstructed high-resolution local
meteorological data set in Central Sahel (1950–2009): evaluation, analysis
and application to land surface modelling, Int. J. Climatol., 37,
2699–2718, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4874, 2017.
Lehmann, C. E. R., Anderson, T. M., Sankaran, M., Higgins, S. I., Archibald,
S., Hoffmann, W. A., Hanan, N. P., Williams, R. J., Fensham, R. J., Felfili,
J., Hutley, L. B., Ratnam, J., San Jose, J., Montes, R., Franklin, D.,
Russell-Smith, J., Ryan, C. M., Durigan, G., Hiernaux, P., Haidar, R.,
Bowman, D. M. J. S., and Bond, W. J.: Savanna Vegetation-Fire-Climate
Relationships Differ Among Continents, Science, 343,
548–552, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247355, 2014.
Lehsten, V., Arneth, A., Spessa, A., Thonicke, K., and Moustakas, A.: The
effect of fire on tree-grass coexistence in savannas: A simulation study,
Int. J. Wildl. Fire, 25, 137–146, https://doi.org/10.1071/WF14205, 2016.
McMurtrie, R. and Wolf, L.: A Model of Competition between Trees and Grass
for Radiation, Water and Nutrients, Ann. Bot., 52, 449–458,
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a086600, 1983.
Medlyn, B. E., De Kauwe, M. G., and Duursma, R. A.: New developments in the
effort to model ecosystems under water stress, New Phytol., 212, 5–7,
https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14082, 2016.
Mortimore, M.: Adapting to drought in the Sahel: Lessons for climate change,
Wires. Clim. Change, 1, 134–143, https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.25,
2010.
Mougin, E., Hiernaux, P., Kergoat, L., Grippa, M., de Rosnay, P., Timouk,
F., Le Dantec, V., Demarez, V., Lavenu, F., Arjounin, M., Lebel, T.,
Soumaguel, N., Ceschia, E., Mougenot, B., Baup, F., Frappart, F., Frison, P.
L., Gardelle, J., Gruhier, C., Jarlan, L., Mangiarotti, S., Sanou, B.,
Tracol, Y., Guichard, F., Trichon, V., Diarra, L., Soumaré, A.,
Koité, M., Dembélé, F., Lloyd, C., Hanan, N. P., Damesin, C.,
Delon, C., Serça, D., Galy-Lacaux, C., Seghieri, J., Becerra, S., Dia,
H., Gangneron, F., and Mazzega, P.: The AMMA-CATCH Gourma observatory site in
Mali: Relating climatic variations to changes in vegetation, surface
hydrology, fluxes and natural resources, J. Hydrol., 375, 14–33,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.06.045, 2009.
Nielsen, I. B.: Ground based evidence of woody cover trends and an
examination of the potential of the Senegalese Sahel as a carbon sink,
Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2016.
Nord, J.: LPJ-GUESS Ecosystem Model, available at: http://web.nateko.lu.se/lpj-guess/,
last access: 27 December 2020.
Panthou, G., Vischel, T., and Lebel, T.: Recent trends in the regime of
extreme rainfall in the Central Sahel, Int. J. Climatol., 34,
3998–4006, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.3984, 2014.
Pascale, S., Lucarini, V., Feng, X., Porporato, A., and ul Hasson, S.:
Projected changes of rainfall seasonality and dry spells in a high
greenhouse gas emissions scenario, Clim. Dynam., 46, 1331–1350,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2648-4, 2016.
Paschalis, A., Fatichi, S., Zscheischler, J., Ciais, P., Bahn, M., Boysen,
L., Chang, J., De Kauwe, M., Estiarte, M., Goll, D., Hanson, P. J., Harper,
A. B., Hou, E., Kigel, J., Knapp, A. K., Larsen, K. S., Li, W., Lienert, S.,
Luo, Y., Meir, P., Nabel, J. E. M. S., Ogaya, R., Parolari, A. J., Peng, C.,
Peñuelas, J., Pongratz, J., Rambal, S., Schmidt, I. K., Shi, H.,
Sternberg, M., Tian, H., Tschumi, E., Ukkola, A., Vicca, S., Viovy, N.,
Wang, Y. P., Wang, Z., Williams, K., Wu, D., and Zhu, Q.: Rainfall
manipulation experiments as simulated by terrestrial biosphere models: Where
do we stand?, Glob. Change Biol., 26, 3336–3355, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15024,
2020.
Poulter, B., Frank, D., Ciais, P., Myneni, R. B., Andela, N., Bi, J.,
Broquet, G., Canadell, J. G., Chevallier, F., Liu, Y. Y., Running, S. W.,
Sitch, S., and Van Der Werf, G. R.: Contribution of semi-arid ecosystems to
interannual variability of the global carbon cycle, Nature, 509,
600–603, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13376, 2014.
Ramier, D., Boulain, N., Cappelaere, B., Timouk, F., Rabanit, M., Lloyd, C.
R., Boubkraoui, S., Métayer, F., Descroix, L., and Wawrzyniak, V.:
Towards an understanding of coupled physical and biological processes in the
cultivated Sahel – 1. Energy and water, J. Hydrol., 375, 204–216,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2008.12.002, 2009.
Reynolds, J. F., Smith, D. M. S., Lambin, E. F., Turner, B. L., Mortimore, M., Batterbury, S. P.
J., Downing, T. E., Dowlatabadi, H., Fernandez, R. J., Herrick, J. E., Huber-Sannwald, E., Jiang, H.,
Leemans, R., Lynam, T., Maestre, F. T., Ayarza, M., and Walker, B.: Global Desertification: Building
a Science for Dryland Development, Science, 316, 847–851, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1131634,
2007.
Sankaran, M., Hanan, N. P., Scholes, R. J., Ratnam, J., Augustine, D. J.,
Cade, B. S., Gignoux, J., Higgins, S. I., Le Roux, X., Ludwig, F., Ardo, J.,
Banyikwa, F., Bronn, A., Bucini, G., Caylor, K. K., Coughenour, M. B.,
Diouf, A., Ekaya, W., Feral, C. J., February, E. C., Frost, P. G. H.,
Hiernaux, P., Hrabar, H., Metzger, K. L., Prins, H. H. T., Ringrose, S.,
Sea, W., Tews, J., Worden, J., and Zambatis, N.: Determinants of woody cover
in African savannas, Nature, 438, 846–849, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04070,
2005.
Sankaran, M., Ratnam, J., and Hanan, N.: Woody cover in African savannas: The
role of resources, fire and herbivory, Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 17,
236–245, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2007.00360.x, 2008.
Sibret, T.: The Sahelian drylands under pressure: studying the impact of
environmental factors on vegetation in Dahra, Senegal, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, 2017.
Sibret, T., Verbruggen, W., Peaucelle, M., Verryckt, L. T., Bauters, M.,
Combe, M., Boeckx, P., and Verbeeck, H.: High photosynthetic capacity of
Sahelian C3 and C4 plants, Photosynth. Res., https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-020-00801-3, 2021.
Sillmann, J., Kharin, V. V., Zwiers, F. W., Zhang, X., and Bronaugh, D.:
Climate extremes indices in the CMIP5 multimodel ensemble: Part 2. Future
climate projections, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 2473–2493,
https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50188, 2013.
Sjöström, M., Ardö, J., Eklundh, L., El-Tahir, B. A., El-Khidir, H. A. M., Hellström, M., Pilesjö, P., and Seaquist, J.: Evaluation of satellite based indices for gross primary production estimates in a sparse savanna in the Sudan, Biogeosciences, 6, 129–138, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-129-2009, 2009.
Smith, B., Wårlind, D., Arneth, A., Hickler, T., Leadley, P., Siltberg, J., and Zaehle, S.: Implications of incorporating N cycling and N limitations on primary production in an individual-based dynamic vegetation model, Biogeosciences, 11, 2027–2054, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2027-2014, 2014.
Tagesson, T., Fensholt, R., Guiro, I., Rasmussen, M. O., Huber, S., Mbow,
C., Garcia, M., Horion, S., Sandholt, I., Holm-Rasmussen, B., Göttsche,
F. M., Ridler, M.-E., Olén, N., Lundegard Olsen, J., Ehammer, A.,
Madsen, M., Olesen, F. S., and Ardö, J.: Ecosystem properties of semiarid
savanna grassland in West Africa and its relationship with environmental
variability, Glob. Change Biol., 21, 250–264, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12734,
2015.
Tagesson, T., Fensholt, R., Cappelaere, B., Mougin, E., Horion, S., Kergoat,
L., Nieto, H., Mbow, C., Ehammer, A., Demarty, J., and Ardö, J.:
Spatiotemporal variability in carbon exchange fluxes across the Sahel,
Agr. Forest Meteorol., 226/227, 108–118,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2016.05.013, 2016a.
Tagesson, T., Ardö, J., Guiro, I., Cropley, F., Mbow, C., Horion, S., Ehammer, A., Mougin, E.,
Delon, C., Galy-Lacaux, C., and Fensholt, R.: Very high CO2 exchange fluxes at the peak of the
rainy season in a West African grazed semi-arid savanna ecosystem, Geogr. Tidsskr.-Danish J.
Geogr., 116, 93–109, https://doi.org/10.1080/00167223.2016.1178072, 2016b.
Taylor, C. M., Belusic, D., Guichard, F., Parker, D. J., Vischel, T., Bock,
O., Harris, P. P., Janicot, S., Klein, C., and Panthou, G.: Frequency of
extreme Sahelian storms tripled since 1982 in satellite observations,
Nature, 544, 475–478, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature22069, 2017.
Taylor, K. E.: Summarizing multiple aspects of model performance in a single
diagram, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 106, 7183–7192,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JD900719, 2001.
Thonicke, K., Venevsky, S., Sitch, S., and Cramer, W.: The role of fire
disturbance for global vegetation dynamics: Coupling fire into a dynamic
global vegetation model, Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr., 10, 661–677,
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1466-822X.2001.00175.x, 2001.
Thonicke, K., Spessa, A., Prentice, I. C., Harrison, S. P., Dong, L., and Carmona-Moreno, C.: The influence of vegetation, fire spread and fire behaviour on biomass burning and trace gas emissions: results from a process-based model, Biogeosciences, 7, 1991–2011, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-7-1991-2010, 2010.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: Sahel
Regional Strategy Mid-Year Review, available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/mali/sahel-regional-strategy-midyear-review-2013 (last access: 27 December 2020), 2013.
van Wijk, M. T. and Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.: Tree-grass competition in space
and time: Insights from a simple cellular automata model based on
ecohydrological dynamics, Water Resour. Res., 38, 1–15,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2001wr000768, 2002.
Velluet, C., Demarty, J., Cappelaere, B., Braud, I., Issoufou, H. B.-A., Boulain, N., Ramier, D., Mainassara, I., Charvet, G., Boucher, M., Chazarin, J.-P., Oï, M., Yahou, H., Maidaji, B., Arpin-Pont, F., Benarrosh, N., Mahamane, A., Nazoumou, Y., Favreau, G., and Seghieri, J.: Building a field- and model-based climatology of local water and energy cycles in the cultivated Sahel – annual budgets and seasonality, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5001–5024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5001-2014, 2014.
Viovy, N.: CRUNCEP Version 7 – Atmospheric Forcing Data for the Community
Land Model, Res. Data Arch. Natl. Cent. Atmos. Res. Comput. Inf. Syst. Lab., available at: https://rda.ucar.edu/datasets/ds314.3/ (last access: 29
November 2019), 2018.
Wang, L., D'Odorico, P., Evans, J. P., Eldridge, D. J., McCabe, M. F., Caylor, K. K., and King, E. G.: Dryland ecohydrology and climate change: critical issues and technical advances, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 2585–2603, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2585-2012, 2012.
Weedon, G. P., Balsamo, G., Bellouin, N., Gomes, S., Best, M. J., and
Viterbo, P.: The WFDEI meteorological forcing data set: WATCH Forcing Data
methodology applied to ERA-Interim reanalysis data, Water Resour. Res.,
50, 7505–7514, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014WR015638, 2014.
Whitley, R., Beringer, J., Hutley, L. B., Abramowitz, G., De Kauwe, M. G., Evans, B., Haverd, V., Li, L., Moore, C., Ryu, Y., Scheiter, S., Schymanski, S. J., Smith, B., Wang, Y.-P., Williams, M., and Yu, Q.: Challenges and opportunities in land surface modelling of savanna ecosystems, Biogeosciences, 14, 4711–4732, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4711-2017, 2017.
Wu, D., Ciais, P., Viovy, N., Knapp, A. K., Wilcox, K., Bahn, M., Smith, M. D., Vicca, S., Fatichi, S., Zscheischler, J., He, Y., Li, X., Ito, A., Arneth, A., Harper, A., Ukkola, A., Paschalis, A., Poulter, B., Peng, C., Ricciuto, D., Reinthaler, D., Chen, G., Tian, H., Genet, H., Mao, J., Ingrisch, J., Nabel, J. E. S. M., Pongratz, J., Boysen, L. R., Kautz, M., Schmitt, M., Meir, P., Zhu, Q., Hasibeder, R., Sippel, S., Dangal, S. R. S., Sitch, S., Shi, X., Wang, Y., Luo, Y., Liu, Y., and Piao, S.: Asymmetric responses of primary productivity to altered precipitation simulated by ecosystem models across three long-term grassland sites, Biogeosciences, 15, 3421–3437, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3421-2018, 2018.
Xu, X., Medvigy, D., and Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.: Relation between rainfall
intensity and savanna tree abundance explained by water use strategies,
P. Natl. Acad. Sci., 112, 12992–12996, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1517382112,
2015.
Xu, X., Medvigy, D., Powers, J. S., Becknell, J. M., and Guan, K.: Diversity
in plant hydraulic traits explains seasonal and inter-annual variations of
vegetation dynamics in seasonally dry tropical forests, New Phytol., 212,
80–95, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14009, 2016.
Xu, X., Medvigy, D., Trugman, A. T., Guan, K., Good, S. P., and
Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.: Tree cover shows strong sensitivity to precipitation
variability across the global tropics, Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 27,
450–460, https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12707, 2018.
Zhang, W., Brandt, M., Guichard, F., Tian, Q., and Fensholt, R.: Using
long-term daily satellite based rainfall data (1983–2015) to analyze
spatio-temporal changes in the sahelian rainfall regime, J. Hydrol., 550,
427–440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.05.033, 2017.
Zhang, W., Brandt, M., Tong, X., Tian, Q., and Fensholt, R.: Impacts of the seasonal distribution of rainfall on vegetation productivity across the Sahel, Biogeosciences, 15, 319–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-319-2018, 2018.
Zhang, W., Brandt, M., Penuelas, J., Guichard, F., Tong, X., Tian, F., and
Fensholt, R.: Ecosystem structural changes controlled by altered rainfall
climatology in tropical savannas, Nat. Commun., 10, 671,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08602-6, 2019.
Short summary
A large part of Earth's land surface is covered by dryland ecosystems, which are subject to climate extremes that are projected to increase under future climate scenarios. By using a mathematical vegetation model, we studied the impact of single years of extreme rainfall on the vegetation in the Sahel. We found a contrasting response of grasses and trees to these extremes, strongly dependent on the way precipitation is spread over the rainy season, as well as a long-term impact on CO2 uptake.
A large part of Earth's land surface is covered by dryland ecosystems, which are subject to...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint