Articles | Volume 21, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2273-2024
© Author(s) 2024. 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-21-2273-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
08 May 2024
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 08 May 2024
| 08 May 2024
Drought and radiation explain fluctuations in Amazon rainforest greenness during the 2015–2016 drought
Yi Y. Liu
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
Albert I. J. M. van Dijk
Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 0200, Australia
Patrick Meir
Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 0200, Australia
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, EH93FF, UK
Tim R. McVicar
CSIRO Environment, G.P.O. Box 1700, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
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Co-editor-in-chief
The 2015–2016 Amazon drought, marked by a year-long precipitation shortfall, uniquely impacted rainforest greenness, challenging prior observations. Leveraging water storage, temperature, and moisture demand data analysis, this study elucidates over 70% of the canopy's response, refining our understanding of rainforest resilience and forecasting capabilities under extreme drought scenarios.
The 2015–2016 Amazon drought, marked by a year-long precipitation shortfall, uniquely impacted...
Short summary
Greenness of the Amazon forest fluctuated during the 2015–2016 drought, but no satisfactory explanation has been found. Based on water storage, temperature, and atmospheric moisture demand, we developed a method to delineate the regions where forests were under stress. These drought-affected regions were mainly identified at the beginning and end of the drought, resulting in below-average greenness. For the months in between, without stress, greenness responded positively to intense sunlight.
Greenness of the Amazon forest fluctuated during the 2015–2016 drought, but no satisfactory...
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