Articles | Volume 23, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-95-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-23-95-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 Jan 2026
Research article |
| 06 Jan 2026
| 06 Jan 2026
A new tropical savanna PFT, variable root growth and fire improve Cerrado vegetation dynamics simulations in a Dynamic Global Vegetation Model
Department of Ecology, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, 70910-900, Brasília, Brazil
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Sarah Bereswill
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Werner von Bloh
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Maik Billing
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Boris Sakschewski
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Luke Oberhagemann
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Institute of Environmental Science and Geography, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht Str. 24/25, Potsdam, Germany
Kirsten Thonicke
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg A 31, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Mercedes M. C. Bustamante
Department of Ecology, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, 70910-900, Brasília, Brazil
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5664, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5664, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geoscientific Model Development (GMD).
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Droughts are becoming an increasing threat to forests, but it remains difficult to predict how trees will respond and recover. We improved a forest model by introducing a new way to represent tree death during drought and tested it against observations of tree mortality and plant growth. The new approach better captured tree losses and reduced unrealistic recovery after drought, providing a more realistic picture of how forests may respond to future climate change.
Sibyll Schaphoff, David Hötten, Christoph Müller, Dieter Gerten, Sebastian Ostberg, and Werner von Bloh
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 7615–7651, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-7615-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-7615-2026, 2026
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Methane is a powerful driver of climate change, yet emissions from wetlands and farming remain uncertain. We improved a global vegetation model that links water, plants and soils to methane production and release. The model now captures waterlogged areas, methane creation and escape, and flood-tolerant plants. It reproduces global wetland patterns and emissions more realistically, helping assess how climate and land-use change may affect future methane release and improve climate projections.
Jannes Breier, Luana Schwarz, Hannah Prawitz, Werner von Bloh, Christoph Müller, Stephen Björn Wirth, Max Bechthold, Dieter Gerten, and Jonathan F. Donges
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 6829–6855, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6829-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6829-2026, 2026
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We present a new modelling framework that combines simulations of environmental change and human decision-making in an integrated approach. It allows researchers to explore how farming decisions affect land, water, and climate, and how these environmental changes influence future decisions. By connecting people and nature, it helps investigate food security, climate adaptation, and sustainability challenges, and supports the development of more realistic scenarios of future environmental change.
Wolfgang Lucht, Katherine Richardson, Jørgen Bendtsen, Boris Sakschewski, and Johan Rockström
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3870, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3870, 2026
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A century ago, scientists suggested that life is more than just a passenger on Earth. It benefits, they argued, from influencing the conditions on Earth, co-shaping its own habitat. This idea is now widely accepted, but our review shows we still lack a comprehensive theory of the biosphere’s role in the Earth system. Science-based Earth stewardship calls for collaboration of fields such as evolutionary theory, ecological thermodynamics, ecosystems modelling, biogeochemistry and land use science.
Andreia F. S. Ribeiro, Maik Biling, Kirsten Thonicke, Werner von Bloh, Jakob Wessel, Sabine Undorf, Matthias Forkel, and Jakob Zscheischler
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2952, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2952, 2026
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Wildfires are becoming more extreme, yet our state-of-the-art tools fail to capture the full risk. We simulate a large ensemble of wildfire simulations capturing a broader range of physically plausible extreme wildfire events beyond what observations alone can reveal. Extreme fire danger alone does not explain the worst impacts: ignitions, fuel and vegetation-fire feedback need to be incorporated. This modelling framework is transferable to other climate-impact sectors beyond wildfires.
Marie Hemmen, Heidi Webber, Werner von Bloh, Jens Heinke, and Christoph Müller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1898, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1898, 2026
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In this study we present a lightweight approach to compute crop canopy temperatures in computationally expensive models, which we apply in the global Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land model. The evaluation reveals that the developed approach reproduces cooling and heating effects of the canopy for daily maximum temperatures and suggests that replacement of standard 2 m air temperature input by simulated canopy temperatures improves the skill to model high temperature impacts on crop growth.
Marie Brunel, Stephen B. Wirth, Markus Drüke, Kirsten Thonicke, Henrique Barbosa, Jens Heinke, and Susanne Rolinski
Biogeosciences, 23, 939–965, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-939-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-939-2026, 2026
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Farmers often use fire to clear dead pasture biomass, impacting vegetation and soil nutrients. This study integrates fire management into a Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM) to assess its effects, focusing on Brazil. The results show that combining grazing and fire management reduces vegetation carbon and soil nitrogen over time. The research highlights the need to include these practices in models to improve pasture management assessments and calls for better data on fire usage and its long-term effects.
Jakob Harteg, Lukas Röhrich, Kobe De Maeyer, Julius Garbe, Boris Sakschewski, Ann Kristin Klose, Jonathan F. Donges, Ricarda Winkelmann, and Sina Loriani
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-356, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-356, 2026
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Climate systems can undergo abrupt, potentially irreversible changes with major impacts on ecosystems and societies, yet consistent tools to detect these transitions across different models are lacking. We present an open-source software package for systematically detecting where and when such changes occur in climate simulations and quantifying variation in transition timing. This enables robust comparison of abrupt changes across models and contributes to assessing climate-tipping risks.
Luana Schwarz, Jannes Breier, Hannah Prawitz, Max Bechthold, Werner von Bloh, Sara M. Constantino, Dieter Gerten, Jobst Heitzig, Ronja Hotz, Leander John, Christoph Müller, Johan Rockström, and Jonathan F. Donges
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4079, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4079, 2025
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We present a novel global model that links farmer decisions with ecological processes to explore how agricultural systems co-evolve. Unlike previous tools, it captures feedbacks between society and nature at up-to planetary scale. We find that conservation practices can restore soil health and support stable harvests. Adoption spreads through learning and norms, showing how regeneration at the farm scale can ripple outward, contributing to global sustainability and Earth system resilience.
Friedrich J. Bohn, Giles B. Sioen, Ana Bastos, Yolandi Ernst, Marcin P. Jarzebski, Niak S. Koh, Romina Martin, Anja Rammig, Alex Godoy-Faúndez, Alexandros Gasparatos, Alvaro G. Gutiérrez, Amanda J. Aceituno, Andra-Ioana Horcea-Milcu, Andrea Marais-Potgieter, Ayyoob Sharifi, Caroline Howe, Cornelia B. Krug, Eduardo E. Acosta, Emmanuel F. Nzunda, Erik Andersson, Hans-Otto Pörtner, Helen Sooväli-Sepping, Ishihara Hiroe, Ivan Palmegiani, Kaera Coetzer, Kirsten Thonike, Krizler Tanalgo, Lisa Biber-Freudenberger, Nicholas O. Oguge, Mi S. Park, Milena Gross, Pablo De La Cruz, Paula R. Prist, Peng Bi, Rivera Diego, Roman Isaac, Rosemary McFarlane, Sinikka J. Paulus, Stefanie Burkhart, Sung-Ching Lee, Susanne Müller, Uchi D. Terhile, Wan-Yu Shih, William K. Smith, Viola Hakkarainen, Virginia Murray, Yuki Yoshida, Yohannes T. Damtew, and Zeenat Niazi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3619, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3619, 2025
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The aim of this series is to provide decision-makers with valuable insights into the current state of biosphere research. Firstly, it is intended to ensure the flow of information between the comprehensive assessment reports of the IPCC and IPBES. On the other hand, it is intended to support economic and political decisions closely related to the biosphere with scientifically sound findings – including uncertainties – and comprehensive polysolutions, helping to solve the earth system polycrisis.
Jamir Priesner, Boris Sakschewski, Maik Billing, Werner von Bloh, Sebastian Fiedler, Sarah Bereswill, Kirsten Thonicke, and Britta Tietjen
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3309–3331, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-3309-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-3309-2025, 2025
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In our simulations increased drought frequencies lead to a drastic reduction in biomass in temperate pine monoculture and mixed forests. Mixed forests eventually recovered as long as drought frequency was not too high. The higher resilience of mixed forests was due to higher adaptive capacity. After adaptation mixed forests were mainly composed of smaller, broadleaved trees with higher wood density and slower growth. This would have strong implications for forestry and other ecosystem services.
Luke Oberhagemann, Maik Billing, Werner von Bloh, Markus Drüke, Matthew Forrest, Simon P. K. Bowring, Jessica Hetzer, Jaime Ribalaygua Batalla, and Kirsten Thonicke
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 2021–2050, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-2021-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-2021-2025, 2025
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Matthew Forrest, Jessica Hetzer, Maik Billing, Simon P. K. Bowring, Eric Kosczor, Luke Oberhagemann, Oliver Perkins, Dan Warren, Fátima Arrogante-Funes, Kirsten Thonicke, and Thomas Hickler
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Climate change is causing an increase in extreme wildfires in Europe, but drivers of fire are not well understood, especially across different land cover types. We used statistical models with satellite data, climate data, and socioeconomic data to determine what affects burning in cropland and non-cropland areas of Europe. We found different drivers of burning in cropland burning vs. non-cropland to the point that some variables, e.g. population density, had the complete opposite effects.
Stephen Björn Wirth, Johanna Braun, Jens Heinke, Sebastian Ostberg, Susanne Rolinski, Sibyll Schaphoff, Fabian Stenzel, Werner von Bloh, Friedhelm Taube, and Christoph Müller
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 7889–7914, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7889-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-7889-2024, 2024
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We present a new approach to modelling biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in the Lund–Potsdam–Jena managed Land dynamic global vegetation model. While in the original approach BNF depended on actual evapotranspiration, the new approach considers soil water content and temperature, vertical root distribution, the nitrogen (N) deficit and carbon (C) costs. The new approach improved simulated BNF compared to the scientific literature and the model ability to project future C and N cycle dynamics.
Markus Drüke, Wolfgang Lucht, Werner von Bloh, Stefan Petri, Boris Sakschewski, Arne Tobian, Sina Loriani, Sibyll Schaphoff, Georg Feulner, and Kirsten Thonicke
Earth Syst. Dynam., 15, 467–483, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-467-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-467-2024, 2024
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The planetary boundary framework characterizes major risks of destabilization of the Earth system. We use the comprehensive Earth system model POEM to study the impact of the interacting boundaries for climate change and land system change. Our study shows the importance of long-term effects on carbon dynamics and climate, as well as the need to investigate both boundaries simultaneously and to generally keep both boundaries within acceptable ranges to avoid a catastrophic scenario for humanity.
Stephen Björn Wirth, Arne Poyda, Friedhelm Taube, Britta Tietjen, Christoph Müller, Kirsten Thonicke, Anja Linstädter, Kai Behn, Sibyll Schaphoff, Werner von Bloh, and Susanne Rolinski
Biogeosciences, 21, 381–410, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-381-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-381-2024, 2024
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In dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs), the role of functional diversity in forage supply and soil organic carbon storage of grasslands is not explicitly taken into account. We introduced functional diversity into the Lund Potsdam Jena managed Land (LPJmL) DGVM using CSR theory. The new model reproduced well-known trade-offs between plant traits and can be used to quantify the role of functional diversity in climate change mitigation using different functional diversity scenarios.
Jenny Niebsch, Werner von Bloh, Kirsten Thonicke, and Ronny Ramlau
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 17–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-17-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-17-2023, 2023
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The impacts of climate change require strategies for climate adaptation. Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) are used to study the effects of multiple processes in the biosphere under climate change. There is a demand for a better computational performance of the models. In this paper, the photosynthesis model in the Lund–Potsdam–Jena managed Land DGVM (4.0.002) was examined. We found a better numerical solution of a nonlinear equation. A significant run time reduction was possible.
Phillip Papastefanou, Christian S. Zang, Zlatan Angelov, Aline Anderson de Castro, Juan Carlos Jimenez, Luiz Felipe Campos De Rezende, Romina C. Ruscica, Boris Sakschewski, Anna A. Sörensson, Kirsten Thonicke, Carolina Vera, Nicolas Viovy, Celso Von Randow, and Anja Rammig
Biogeosciences, 19, 3843–3861, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3843-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3843-2022, 2022
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The Amazon rainforest has been hit by multiple severe drought events. In this study, we assess the severity and spatial extent of the extreme drought years 2005, 2010 and 2015/16 in the Amazon. Using nine different precipitation datasets and three drought indicators we find large differences in drought stress across the Amazon region. We conclude that future studies should use multiple rainfall datasets and drought indicators when estimating the impact of drought stress in the Amazon region.
Vera Porwollik, Susanne Rolinski, Jens Heinke, Werner von Bloh, Sibyll Schaphoff, and Christoph Müller
Biogeosciences, 19, 957–977, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-957-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-957-2022, 2022
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The study assesses impacts of grass cover crop cultivation on cropland during main-crop off-season periods applying the global vegetation model LPJmL (V.5.0-tillage-cc). Compared to simulated bare-soil fallowing practices, cover crops led to increased soil carbon content and reduced nitrogen leaching rates on the majority of global cropland. Yield responses of main crops following cover crops vary with location, duration of altered management, crop type, water regime, and tillage practice.
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Short summary
We introduced a new plant type into a global vegetation model to better represent the ecology of the Cerrado, South America's second largest biome. This improved the model’s ability to simulate vegetation structure, root systems, and fire dynamics, aligning more closely with observations. Our results enhance understanding of tropical savannas and provide a stronger basis for studying their responses to fire and climate change at regional and global scales.
We introduced a new plant type into a global vegetation model to better represent the ecology of...
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