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High ecosystem stability of evergreen broadleaf forests under severe droughts
Kun Huang1,2, Jianyang Xia1,3
1Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Global Change Biology
|July 6, 2019
Summary
Evergreen broadleaf forests (EBFs) demonstrate superior stability against increasing droughts. Despite greater drought exposure, EBFs exhibit higher resistance, crucial for maintaining global vegetation productivity and carbon sinks.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Science
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Global droughts increasingly threaten terrestrial ecosystems.
- Evergreen broadleaf forests (EBFs) may face higher drought risks due to year-round foliage.
- Non-evergreen ecosystems currently drive most global vegetation productivity variability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that EBFs possess greater stability than other biomes under extreme droughts.
- To quantify the temporal stability, resistance, and resilience of EBFs and other biomes using satellite data.
- To identify factors influencing global vegetation resistance and resilience to drought.
Main Methods:
- Utilized long-term Standardized Precipitation and Evaporation Index (SPEI) data.
- Employed satellite-derived Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) products to assess vegetation dynamics.
- Quantified temporal stability, resistance, and resilience at biome and global scales.
Main Results:
- Identified increasing drought severity, area, and duration in EBF biomes from 2000-2014.
- EBFs exhibited the highest vegetation resistance to drought compared to other biomes.
- No significant differences in vegetation resilience to drought were observed among major biomes.
Conclusions:
- Evergreen broadleaf forests demonstrate higher stability and resistance to drought, despite increased exposure.
- Global vegetation resistance and resilience are influenced by temperature and solar radiation.
- Conservation of EBFs is vital for stabilizing global vegetation productivity and carbon sinks under climate extremes.
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