Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenqi Song, Yuhao Feng, Zhiheng Wang
Summary: In the past two decades, China has implemented various ecological restoration programs, resulting in significant greening of vegetation. The study found that in northern China and the southern coastal regions, ecological restoration programs have played a dominant role in vegetation greening. However, in southwestern China, Inner Mongolia, and the implementation regions of certain ecological restoration programs in northeastern China, temperature or precipitation has dominated vegetation greening. Except for the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, the impact of ecological restoration programs on vegetation greening was stronger than the combined effects of temperature and precipitation changes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wang Shijin, Peng Xiaoqing
Summary: As an important component of the climate system, permafrost responds significantly to climate change and affects the ecosystem. This study analyzed the changes in vegetation index (NDVI) in Arctic permafrost regions and the correlation with active-layer thickness (ALT), soil temperature, and other factors. The results showed an increasing trend in NDVI values from 1982 to 2015, with permafrost degradation being the dominant factor controlling the increase. The study deepened our understanding of permafrost's importance for ecosystem services and filled a gap in global ecological service value assessment.
Article
Remote Sensing
Sangeeta Sarmah, Mrinal Singha, Jinsong Wang, Jinwei Dong, Pramit Kumar Deb Burman, Santonu Goswami, Yong Ge, Sana Ilyas, Shuli Niu
Summary: Vegetation greening in South Asia has a significant trend, but the increase in gross primary production is weaker, primarily due to disturbances in cropland activities. The most irrigated and fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain of South Asia showed significant greening, but the trend in gross primary production was non-significant. Both climatic and anthropogenic stresses negatively impacted regional gross primary production, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Kempf
Summary: Europe has experienced an increase in climate variability and extreme events such as droughts, heat waves, and floods. This is compounded by land degradation and changes in land use and landcover, which contribute to climate change feedbacks. Satellite observations indicate a positive greening trend, likely due to rising CO2 concentrations and global warming. This article examines long-term environmental variables and recent vegetation index data to analyze trends in climate variability and vegetation response in Europe. The results show a positive correlation between vegetation response, temperature, rainfall, and soil moisture, as well as an increase in climate anomalies, which amplify the vulnerability of vegetation cover during extreme events.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Philippe Choler, Arthur Bayle, Bradley Z. Carlson, Christophe Randin, Gianluca Filippa, Edoardo Cremonese
Summary: The study shows widespread greening trends in the above-treeline ecosystems of the European Alps, influenced mainly by changes in land cover and biomass, with minimal impact from human disturbances. Spatial variability in greening at the regional scale is primarily influenced by slope orientation and local topography, with identified hotspots of sparse vegetation cover experiencing delayed snow melt and green-up dates in recent years. This ongoing greening primarily reflects the high responsiveness of sparsely vegetated ecosystems to improving habitat conditions above the treeline.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ying Liu, Chaoyang Wu, Rachhpal S. Jassal, Xiaoyue Wang, Rong Shang
Summary: The frequency of precipitation has a greater impact on the maximum growth of vegetation on the Tibetan Plateau than the total precipitation. Increased precipitation frequency improves soil moisture, reduces daytime temperature, and increases nighttime temperature, thereby alleviating summer drought.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Moyan Li, Jingyun Guan, Jianghua Zheng
Summary: Based on research conducted in arid regions of Xinjiang, China, this study discovered a significant greening trend during the growing season from 1982 to 1996, followed by a decrease and plateauing in vegetation growth from 1997 to 2015. The study identified atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) as a critical driver of vegetation growth, with increasing VPD contributing to the decrease in greening trend. Rising temperatures and resulting increased VPD led to exacerbated evaporative water loss, limiting plant stomatal conductance and potentially causing vegetation mortality.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiaoli Wu, Xinyao Wang, Shaoyuan Chen, Li Wang, Jie Jiang
Summary: Satellite observations have shown significant land surface greening in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in European terrestrial ecosystems, over the past few decades. This study used a process-based model to assess the combined effects of land surface greening, climate change, CO2 fertilization, land use and land cover change, and other factors on terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) in Europe from 2001 to 2016. The results indicated that increased vegetation greenness and atmospheric CO2 concentration were the main drivers of the enhanced GPP in Europe.
Article
Environmental Studies
Yan Li, Jie Gong, Yunxia Zhang, Bingli Gao
Summary: This study used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and social statistic data to explore the spatiotemporal changes and the relationship between the NDVI and climatic change, human activities, and grazing intensity in the alpine vegetation on the Southwestern Tibetan Plateau. The results revealed that the NDVI increased from 2000 to 2020, with significant greening in certain areas and partial browning in others. Precipitation was found to be the most critical factor affecting the spatial distribution of NDVI, and there was a positive correlation between NDVI and temperature and precipitation in most parts of the study area. Climate change and human activities were found to co-affect vegetation change, with human activities leading to vegetation greening since 2000. The study also found a negative correlation between NDVI and grazing intensity, indicating that grazing had caused vegetation degradation to some extent.
Article
Plant Sciences
Huihui Wang, Jinyan Zhan, Chao Wang, Wei Liu, Zheng Yang, Huizi Liu, Chunyue Bai
Summary: The study found that all seven vegetation types on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau have shown a greening trend over the past 21 years, with areas at high altitude, reduced annual precipitation, high human activity intensity, and annual precipitation of around 500 mm being most susceptible to browning. Changes in DEM and precipitation were identified as important drivers of browning in the different vegetation types.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanzhang Huang, Zhongbao Xin, Tsechoe Dor-ji, Yafeng Wang
Summary: High altitude areas, such as the Tibetan Plateau, are crucial in the global climate system and are sensitive to climate change and human activities. This study found that the plateau experienced greening in 70% of the area due to increased warming and wetting. Temperature rose significantly, while precipitation increased slightly. The greening was mainly observed in steppe and desert areas as a result of wetting and ecological protection. Urbanization, overgrazing, and lake expansion led to browning in certain areas. The comprehensive understanding of vegetation changes and the contributions of climate and humans will aid in coping with climate change and ecosystem evolution in high altitude areas.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emma Davis, Andrew Trant, Luise Hermanutz, Robert G. Way, Antoni G. Lewkowicz, Laura Siegwart Collier, Alain Cuerrier, Darroch Whitaker
Summary: The study reveals that the eastern Canadian Subarctic and Arctic are undergoing significant environmental changes with profound impact on local ecological and geomorphological systems. The area has experienced a significant greening trend over the past four decades, attributed to rapid growth of shrubs starting from the late 1990s and matching warmer temperatures. In wet areas, plant canopy height has an insulating effect on winter ground surface temperatures, and the presence of near-surface discontinuous permafrost may limit plant growth in certain areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Petya G. Petrova, Steven M. de Jong, Gerben Ruessink
Summary: In recent decades, there has been an expansion of vegetation on coastal dunes, attributed to global-scale climate change. This study aims to quantify and analyze the change in vegetation cover using multitemporal NDVI time series at 186 dune fields worldwide. The study finds that greening is strongest in cool temperate climates and is accelerating at many sites. However, there is no correlation between the rate of greening and local changes in temperature, precipitation, and wind speed. Sand supply and anthropogenic activities are suggested as possible reasons for the lack of a clear global relationship between dune greening and climate change.
Article
Ecology
Alison K. Post, Kristin P. Davis, Jillian LaRoe, David L. Hoover, Alan K. Knapp
Summary: The frequency and intensity of deluges are increasing globally as the climate warms. Semiarid grasslands are particularly sensitive to the timing and size of deluges, with postdeluge canopy greenness usually increasing linearly with larger deluge size. Grazing regimes did not significantly alter the responses to deluges in this study.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chi Zhang, Shaohong Wu, Yu Deng, Jieming Chou
Summary: The study using ESMs from CMIP6 found that under 1.5 and 2 degrees C global warming scenarios, ecosystem productivity in China is projected to increase, indicating that global warming poses no ecological risk in terms of productivity. The role of climate factors in influencing ecosystem productivity was discussed, with temperature changes having a greater impact compared to precipitation changes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. B. Siewert, H. Lantuit, A. Richter, G. Hugelius
Summary: Spatial analysis in earth sciences often relies on spatial autocorrelation, but permafrost soils show significant variability at different scales, contradicting Tobler's first law of geography. Understanding these complexities is crucial for mapping and predicting permafrost carbon feedbacks.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Umakant Mishra, Gustaf Hugelius, Eitan Shelef, Yuanhe Yang, Jens Strauss, Alexey Lupachev, Jennifer W. Harden, Julie D. Jastrow, Chien-Lu Ping, William J. Riley, Edward A. G. Schuur, Roser Matamala, Matthias Siewert, Lucas E. Nave, Charles D. Koven, Matthias Fuchs, Juri Palmtag, Peter Kuhry, Claire C. Treat, Sebastian Zubrzycki, Forrest M. Hoffman, Bo Elberling, Philip Camill, Alexandra Veremeeva, Andrew Orr
Summary: Large stocks of organic carbon have accumulated in the permafrost region of the Northern Hemisphere, with estimated amounts in the top 3 meters of soil. Analysis of over 2700 soil profiles revealed that soil wetness index and elevation are key topographic controllers, while surface air temperature and precipitation play significant roles in determining SOC stocks. The study's high-resolution geospatial assessment provides important insights for modeling the response of permafrost-affected soils to climate change.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew S. MacDougall, Paul Caplat, Johan Olofsson, Matthias B. Siewert, Colin Bonner, Ellen Esch, Malie Lessard-Therrien, Hannah Rosenzweig, Anne-Kathrin Schafer, Pia Raker, Hassan Ridha, Kjell Bolmgren, Thore C. E. Fries, Keith Larson
Summary: Research shows that in northern Sweden, there has been a significant upward migration of arctic and boreal mountain plant species, along with adjustments in their growth and reproductive phenology. While there has been wide inter-annual variability in leafing and flowering onset over the past century, there has been no detectable change in growing season length.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Olivia Azevedo, Thomas C. Parker, Matthias B. Siewert, Jens-Arne Subke
Summary: Soils contain the most carbon in the biosphere, with high latitude soils holding twice as much carbon as the atmosphere. Changes in vegetation, particularly the increase in shrubs, in high latitude tundra ecosystems may affect the exchange of CO2. Monitoring soil respiration at regional scales is challenging due to the remoteness of these ecosystems, but using NDVI and soil temperature can help predict soil respiration when considering vegetation type.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ivan V. Krickov, Svetlana Serikova, Oleg S. Pokrovsky, Sergey N. Vorobyev, Artem G. Lim, Matthias B. Siewert, Jan Karlsson
Summary: This study highlights the seasonal carbon emissions and water area fluctuation in the Ob River floodplain, showing the significant impact of dissolved organic carbon on CO2 concentrations and fluxes. The floodplain may play a larger role in total C emissions, especially during flood years and in the northern regions of the Ob River basin.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthias B. Siewert, Johan Olofsson
Summary: Understanding how herbivores shape plant biomass and distribution is crucial in ecology, with advancements in using UAV technology to reveal hidden vegetation dynamics. The impact of rodents on Arctic ecosystems is substantial, varying across habitats and affecting central ecosystem properties more strongly than previously thought. UAVs offer a new perspective on how herbivores maintain spatial heterogeneity and diversity in natural ecosystems.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Betsabe de la Barreda-bautista, Doreen S. Boyd, Martha Ledger, Matthias B. Siewert, Chris Chandler, Andrew V. Bradley, David Gee, David J. Large, Johan Olofsson, Andrew Sowter, Sofie Sjogersten
Summary: The study from sub-Arctic peatlands in Sweden shows that thawing permafrost is causing increasing subsidence rates. The combination of orthophotos, UAV, and InSAR data helps to more accurately monitor surface movements caused by permafrost thaw.
Review
Ecology
Christian Rixen, Toke Thomas Hoye, Petr Macek, Rien Aerts, Juha M. Alatalo, Jill T. Anderson, Pieter A. Arnold, Isabel C. Barrio, Jarle W. Bjerke, Mats P. Bjorkman, Daan Blok, Gesche Blume-Werry, Julia Boike, Stef Bokhorst, Michele Carbognani, Casper T. Christiansen, Peter Convey, Elisabeth J. Cooper, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Stephen J. Coulson, Ellen Dorrepaal, Bo Elberling, Sarah C. Elmendorf, Cassandra Elphinstone, T'ai G. W. Forte, Esther R. Frei, Sonya R. Geange, Friederike Gehrmann, Casey Gibson, Paul Grogan, Aud Helen Halbritter, John Harte, Gregory H. R. Henry, David W. Inouye, Rebecca E. Irwin, Gus Jespersen, Ingibjorg Svala Jonsdottir, Ji Young Jung, David H. Klinges, Gaku Kudo, Juho Lamsa, Hanna Lee, Jonas J. Lembrechts, Signe Lett, Joshua Scott Lynn, Hjalte M. R. Mann, Mikhail Mastepanov, Jennifer Morse, Isla H. Myers-Smith, Johan Olofsson, Riku Paavola, Alessandro Petraglia, Gareth K. Phoenix, Philipp Semenchuk, Matthias B. Siewert, Rachel Slatyer, Marko J. Spasojevic, Katharine Suding, Patrick Sullivan, Kimberly L. Thompson, Maria Vaisanen, Vigdis Vandvik, Susanna Venn, Josefine Walz, Robert Way, Jeffrey M. Welker, Sonja Wipf, Shengwei Zong
Summary: Snow plays an important ecological role in cold biomes, affecting ground temperature, light conditions, moisture availability, and plant growth seasons. There is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of how altered snow conditions will impact these ecosystems. Differences in snow study approaches need to be considered when predicting snow dynamics and their impact on future climates.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Isolde Callisto Puts, Jenny Ask, Matthias B. Siewert, Ryan A. Sponseller, Dag O. Hessen, Ann-Kristin Bergstrom
Summary: Global change affects gross primary production in benthic and pelagic habitats of northern lakes by influencing catchment characteristics and lake water biogeochemistry. Changes in key environmental drivers manifest in light limitation of total GPP and the relative size of the benthic habitat. External inputs of inorganic carbon can influence lake productivity patterns independent of terrestrial DOC supply.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Carles Castano, Sara Hallin, Dagmar Egelkraut, Bjorn D. Lindahl, Johan Olofsson, Karina Engelbrecht Clemmensen
Summary: Global vegetation regimes have different dynamics in belowground carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), but it is challenging to separate large-scale climatic controls from intrinsic plant-soil-microbial feedback effects. In local gradients with similar pedo-climatic conditions, the effects of plant-microbial feedbacks can be isolated from large-scale drivers. In a subarctic-alpine mosaic, contrasting plant-microbial feedbacks contribute to diverging soil C : N ratios at the landscape scale.
Article
Ecology
J. Ignacio Ramirez, Lourens Poorter, Patrick A. Jansen, Jan den Ouden, Matthias Siewert, Johan Olofsson
Summary: Ungulates play a crucial role in temperate systems by responding to vegetation and modifying its composition. This study examines the factors influencing patch utilization in a temperate forest and its implications for forest recruitment. The results show that patch utilization is influenced by bottom-up and top-down forces as well as deer abundance, but the specific factors vary between deer species. The findings suggest that these two deer species perceive and interact with their environment differently, shaping the surrounding landscape.
Article
Ecology
Eero Myrsky, Juha Mikola, Elina Kaarlejarvi, Johan Olofsson, Sofie Sjogersten, Boris Tupek, Minna K. Mannisto, Sari Stark
Summary: The ongoing climate warming is promoting shrub abundance in high latitudes, and the response of deciduous or evergreen species to warming plays a role in the ecosystem functioning. A long-term warming experiment in subarctic Sweden shows that while shrub abundance increased as expected, there were unexpected declines in certain species due to disturbance events. The effects of warming on ecosystem respiration and gross primary productivity varied among habitats, highlighting the importance of disturbance regimes and indirect impacts of plant abundance on soil microclimate.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Juri Palmtag, Jaroslav Obu, Peter Kuhry, Andreas Richter, Matthias B. Siewert, Niels Weiss, Sebastian Westermann, Gustaf Hugelius
Summary: Soils in the northern high latitudes play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, with the permafrost region holding a significant amount of carbon that may become a net source in the future. Understanding the quantity and mechanisms of organic carbon storage is vital for assessing the impacts and feedbacks of climate change. This study presents a geospatial dataset of soil properties, including carbon and nitrogen stocks, in the northern permafrost region. The dataset provides valuable information for modeling at various scales and contributes to our knowledge of soil organic carbon and nitrogen storage in this region.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Minna-Maarit Kytoviita, Johan Olofsson
Summary: Plant-associated fungi play important roles in ecosystem productivity, with arbuscular mycorrhizal and fine endophytic fungi showing resilience to simulated herbivory. However, dark septate endophytic fungi in roots responded differently to environmental manipulations, indicating a unique role in plant ecology that is influenced by host plant identity.
ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH
(2021)