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Ecosystem structural changes controlled by altered rainfall climatology in tropical savannas
Wenmin Zhang1,2, Martin Brandt3, Josep Penuelas4,5
1Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, 1350, Copenhagen, Denmark. wenminzhg@gmail.com.
Nature Communications
|February 10, 2019
Summary
Global warming is altering tropical savannas. Satellite data show woody plants increasing more than green vegetation, indicating a climate-driven shift in these vital ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Tropical savannas are mixed woodland-grassland ecosystems where trees and grasses compete for water.
- Changes in rainfall patterns can significantly impact savanna structure, potentially favoring woody plant encroachment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze satellite data to understand recent changes in tropical savanna vegetation structure.
- To investigate the relationship between rainfall, vegetation greenness, and woody cover in arid and semi-arid savannas.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of satellite data to quantify changes in woody vegetation cover.
- Assessment of annual maximum leaf area index (LAImax) trends.
- Examination of the sensitivity of LAImax to annual rainfall across tropical savannas.
Main Results:
- Woody vegetation increased by 5% in arid and semi-arid savannas, outpacing the 3% increase in LAImax.
- A declining sensitivity of LAImax to annual rainfall was observed in over 56% of tropical savannas.
- These changes spatially overlapped with areas exhibiting increased woody cover and altered rainfall patterns.
Conclusions:
- Climate change is inducing a shift in the balance between woody and herbaceous vegetation in tropical savannas.
- Altered hydrological conditions are a likely driver of these vegetation changes.
- These shifts have significant implications for land cover and associated biophysical processes like albedo and evapotranspiration.
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