Article
Environmental Sciences
Melanie Vines, Glenn Tootle, Leigh Terry, Emily Elliott, Joni Corbin, Grant L. Harley, Jonghun Kam, Sahar Sadeghi, Matthew Therrell
Summary: Seasonal reconstructions of streamflow using streamflow data and tree-ring chronologies were successfully created for several rivers, with validation through correlation and regression analysis. The study also identified the significant impact of the recent (2000s) prolonged drought on the rivers.
Article
Forestry
Victoria M. Harris, Adam Z. Csank
Summary: This study reconstructs the Truckee River runoff using tree rings, providing a longer historical record and new insights into the basin's natural variability. The results show decades of above-average streamflow before the 1850s, which have since shortened, indicating a potential shift in hydroclimatic regime. Further research is needed to understand the implications and whether the post-2000 drought is a new megadrought or a sign of aridification.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hung T. T. Nguyen, Stefano Galelli, Chenxi Xu, Brendan M. Buckley
Summary: Researchers used tree ring data and stable oxygen isotopes from Southeast Asia to reconstruct the monthly streamflow variations of the four major tributaries of the Chao Phraya River in Thailand. They found coherence and heterogeneity in the histories of past hydrological droughts and pluvials and revealed the spatiotemporal variability in wet season timing. These monthly-resolved reconstructions not only broaden our understanding of past hydroclimatic variability but also provide valuable data for water management and climate-risk analyses.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Connie A. Woodhouse, Gregory J. McCabe, Cody C. Routson, David M. Meko
Summary: The ongoing drought in the Upper Colorado River Basin has been found to be extremely severe, especially when compared to the tree-ring records from as early as 762 CE. Using gridded drought-atlas data and streamflow data, researchers have developed a streamflow reconstruction model for the Lees Ferry gage, revealing a second-century drought that surpasses the severity of the current drought and documented medieval period droughts. Limited data also support the occurrence of this exceptional second-century drought through analysis of individual tree-ring records and other paleoclimatic data.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bethany L. Coulthard, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Gregory T. Pederson, Edward Cook, Jeremy Littell, Dan J. Smith
Summary: Climate change has led to recent declines in mountain snowpack and earlier runoff, intensifying hydrological droughts in western North America. Current understanding of trends and variability in mountain snowpack is limited, highlighting the need for further research in this area.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Aristeidis Kastridis, Vasiliki Kamperidou, Dimitrios Stathis
Summary: The study found that precipitation is the key factor influencing the growth of A. borisii-regis trees under Mediterranean climate conditions, while temperature has a relatively small impact on tree growth. Precipitation in June, May, and July shows a high correlation with tree-ring width, while snow does not significantly affect tree growth.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sasa Kostic, Tom Levanic, Sasa Orlovic, Bratislav Matovic, Dejan B. Stojanovic
Summary: This study built tree-ring width (TRW), stable carbon isotope ratio (delta C-13), and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) data set chronologies for two oak species in northwestern Serbia. The results showed that Turkey oak exhibited better drought tolerance compared to pedunculate oak and delta C-13 responded more strongly and rapidly to climate variations than TRW.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Nasrullah Khan, Hung T. T. Nguyen, Stefano Galelli, Paolo Cherubini
Summary: Increased flood risks and intensifying droughts pose significant threats for the Kabul River Basin. Future water management needs to account for both flood and drought risks and be informed by long-term hydroclimatic variability.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Tripti Bhattacharya, Samantha Krause, Dan Penny, David Wahl
Summary: Paleoclimate research in the Maya region provides evidence of drought during cultural transitions, while archaeological research uncovers evidence of water control technologies used by the Maya. Combining these data can identify the complexity of Maya adaptation to hydroclimate variability and offer lessons for present-day climate change efforts. Additional studies and public archiving of data are needed in data-poor areas of the Maya region.
PROGRESS IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY-EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Thomas W. Patterson, Cathryn H. Greenberg, Andrew Hacket-Pain
Summary: Oak trees are dominant and important in the Central Hardwood Region of the USA for their timber value and the food value of their acorns for wildlife. This study examined the relationship between acorn production, climate, and tree-ring data from five oak species in southern Appalachian hardwood forests. The results showed limited evidence that acorn production influences tree-ring data, indicating that tree-ring based reconstruction of acorn crops in these oak species may not be feasible.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Diego Pons, Mukund P. Rao
Summary: This study used tree-ring data to reconstruct the mean August streamflow of the Samal ' a River for 125 years (1889-2013). The results showed a correlation between the tree-ring width measurements and the streamflow records in the upper basin. This study suggests that tree-ring studies can provide valuable information for stakeholders and decision-makers for irrigation, hydropower production, and disaster mitigation in the Samal ' a watershed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
William Marchand, Martin P. Girardin, Henrik Hartmann, Mathieu Levesque, Sylvie Gauthier, Yves Bergeron
Summary: The increase in frequency, intensity, and duration of drought events affects forested ecosystems by causing trees to adjust stomatal conductance to maximize the trade-off between carbon gains and water losses. This study found that a decline in growth rates of black spruce and jack pine in an exceptionally dry period from 1988 to 1992 was related to physiological adjustments of trees to drought. Isotopic signals were linked to climate moisture index, vapor pressure deficit, and annual snowfall amount, impacting tree growth and physiological responses.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anne F. Van Loon, Sally Rangecroft, Gemma Coxon, Micha Werner, Niko Wanders, Giuliano Di Baldassarre, Erik Tijdeman, Marianne Bosman, Tom Gleeson, Alexandra Nauditt, Amir Aghakouchak, Jose Agustin Brena-Naranjo, Omar Cenobio-Cruz, Alexandre Cunha Costa, Miriam Fendekova, Graham Jewitt, Daniel G. Kingston, Jessie Loft, Sarah M. Mager, Iman Mallakpour, Ilyas Masih, Hector Maureira-Cortes, Elena Toth, Pieter Van Oel, Floris Van Ogtrop, Koen Verbist, Jean-Philippe Vidal, Li Wen, Meixiu Yu, Xing Yuan, Miao Zhang, Henny A. J. Van Lanen
Summary: Human activities both aggravate and alleviate streamflow drought, with water abstraction being the dominant aggravating factor and water transfers effectively reducing drought. Reservoir releases can alleviate drought in dry season but change flow seasonality. Land use has a smaller impact, with both positive and negative effects observed.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. C. A. Torbenson, J. H. Stagge
Summary: This study compares three different approaches for reconstructing flow, showing that baseflow separation can improve the accuracy of reconstruction. The relationship between tree growth and baseflow is stronger than that with streamflow, supporting the feasibility of using baseflow as the predictor variable.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Hector Hernandez-Alonso, Jaime Madrigal-Gonzalez, Fernando Silla
Summary: The impact of lag effects from disturbances on primary production has been a major concern in ecology. Extreme climatic events are causing significant reductions in tree radial growth, as shown in tree-ring series. However, analyzing aggregated tree-ring chronology on a regional scale may amplify average population response and distort individual tree response variability to drought. An experimental research with 370 trees of 5 species was conducted to analyze the potential statistical and scaling issues in ecosystem responses to disturbances. Our findings highlight the importance of using individual-based statistical and ecological procedures to analyze tree rings and understand ecosystem responses to disturbances.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Paul A. Knapp, Peter T. Soule, Justin T. Maxwell, Jason T. Ortegren, Tyler J. Mitchell
Summary: Latewood ring widths of longleaf pine are effective recorders of annual variability of tropical cyclone precipitation, and the study reconstructed tropical cyclone precipitation from 1750 to 2015 to examine multidecadal dry and wet cycles, synoptic controls, and the unique dry phase of 1843-1876. The research found six phases of dry/wet cycles in the 250+ year reconstruction, with the Great Suppression period during 1843-1876 being particularly intense due to anomalously low pressure over the eastern USA. While dry phases were characterized by persistence of steering lows, the Great Suppression was unmatched in intensity, with latewood growth flushes associated with elevated water tables following high-intensity cyclone rainfall events.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Chan-Pang Ng, Qinghong Zhang, Wenhong Li
Summary: Due to the dense population in eastern China, hourly extreme precipitation (HEP) is receiving increasing attention, with changes dominated by the Meiyu front system duration. The longer duration of the post-Meiyu I stage has led to greater occurrence of HEP events in northeastern China, the lower reach of Yangtze River, and southern China during the warm season. These findings enhance understanding of the response of HEP to climate change and the importance of synoptic weather systems in HEP occurrence changes.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Peter T. Soule, Paul A. Knapp, Justin T. Maxwell, Tyler J. Mitchell
Summary: Longleaf pine radial growth is primarily controlled by late summer rainfall, with adjusted latewood growth showing the strongest relationship with climate. There is spatial similarity in growth/climate responses across the Coastal Plain region, while temporally, July-September precipitation has significant relationships with radial growth for extended periods. Growth/climate relationships are stronger for latewood compared to earlywood.
TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Melanie Vines, Glenn Tootle, Leigh Terry, Emily Elliott, Joni Corbin, Grant L. Harley, Jonghun Kam, Sahar Sadeghi, Matthew Therrell
Summary: Seasonal reconstructions of streamflow using streamflow data and tree-ring chronologies were successfully created for several rivers, with validation through correlation and regression analysis. The study also identified the significant impact of the recent (2000s) prolonged drought on the rivers.
Article
Forestry
Benjamin R. Lockwood, Justin T. Maxwell, Scott M. Robeson, Tsun Fung Au
Summary: Research suggests that simply summing tree-ring widths to estimate diameter can lead to underestimations of tree diameter, resulting in inaccurate estimates of forest productivity metrics BAI and biomass. To reduce this bias, researchers developed a regression model to adjust diameter for more accurate estimations of BAI and biomass, providing more reliable productivity estimates.
Article
Forestry
Daniel J. King, Grant L. Harley, Justin T. Maxwell, Karen J. Heeter, Benjamin J. Vandermyde, Robert J. Cosgriff
Summary: Floodplain hardwood forests along the Upper Mississippi River System are ecologically important due to high biodiversity, but recent decline and regeneration failure of hard mast species may lead to loss of diversity. Factors influencing the decline and regeneration failure of Carya illinoinensis are linked to large-scale flood events, climate variability, and anthropogenic impacts, requiring direct forest restoration techniques for species recovery.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaolin Huang, Lu Hao, Ge Sun, Zong-Liang Yang, Wenhong Li, Dongxu Chen
Summary: This study examines the influence of urbanization on local atmospheric moisture under global warming in China. The findings indicate significant declines in atmospheric humidity, forming an 'Urban Dry Island' (UDI). The observed UDI is caused by global warming, urban heat island effect, and reduction in local evapotranspiration and water vapor supplies. The magnitude and frequency of UDI are more pronounced in humid regions compared to arid regions due to differences in background climate and vegetation characteristics. Restoring the evapotranspiration power of urban ecosystems is crucial in mitigating the negative effects of UDI and UHI.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Antoine Cabon, Steven A. Kannenberg, Altaf Arain, Flurin Babst, Dennis Baldocchi, Soumaya Belmecheri, Nicolas Delpierre, Rossella Guerrieri, Justin T. Maxwell, Shawn McKenzie, Frederick C. Meinzer, David J. P. Moore, Christoforos Pappas, Adrian Rocha, Paul Szejner, Masahito Ueyama, Danielle Ulrich, Caroline Vincke, Steven L. Voelker, Jingshu Wei, David Woodruff, William R. L. Anderegg
Summary: Uncertainties in tree carbon allocation to growth limit projections of forest carbon sequestration and response to climate change. Our study reveals widespread decoupling between carbon assimilation and tree growth, driven by varying climatic sensitivities and tree species. Sink control over tree growth becomes more prominent with canopy closure, aridity, and decreasing temperatures.
Article
Forestry
Keqi He, Yu Zhang, Wenhong Li, Ge Sun, Steve McNulty
Summary: Sea-level rise and climate change pose increasing threats to coastal wetlands. This study developed a new framework using remote sensing data and a hydrologic model to detect and understand the spatial and temporal patterns of coastal wetland degradation. By studying a wildlife refuge in North Carolina, it was found that most of the detected degradation occurred within 2 km from the shoreline and in the past five years.
Article
Forestry
Tsun Fung Au, Justin T. Maxwell
Summary: Forest composition in the eastern US is shifting from oak-hickory to maple-beech. Both Carya ovata and Quercus alba show responses to water availability during the growing season, with drought in June causing the greatest growth reduction for both species. However, Q. alba experiences stronger reduction than C. ovata in July. Late growing season drought has a larger impact on Q. alba's resilience. Increasing drought frequency and intensity will have a significant impact on oak-hickory stands in the eastern US.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cameron Dow, Albert Y. Kim, Loic D'Orangeville, Erika B. Gonzalez-Akre, Ryan Helcoski, Valentine Herrmann, Grant L. Harley, Justin T. Maxwell, Ian R. McGregor, William J. McShea, Sean M. McMahon, Neil Pederson, Alan J. Tepley, Kristina J. Anderson-Teixeira
Summary: This study shows that warmer spring temperatures cause earlier stem diameter growth in deciduous trees, but have no consistent effect on growing season length, maximum growth rates, or annual growth. Furthermore, tree-ring chronologies indicate that annual ring width is more sensitive to temperatures during the peak growing season than in the spring. These findings suggest that warmer spring temperatures are unlikely to increase woody productivity enough to strengthen the long-term CO2 sink of temperate deciduous forests.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pan Chen, Wenhong Li
Summary: The study found that the large and small reservoirs distributed throughout the Missouri River Basin have significant impacts on water quality dynamics. Reservoirs can greatly reduce sediment and nutrient loads, with small reservoirs having a similar reduction effect as large ones. Additionally, reservoirs near the mouth of the river can reduce more suspended sediment, but slightly less total nitrogen and total phosphorous compared to upstream reservoirs. Overall, reservoirs have substantial effects on water quality in the Missouri River Basin, and these effects vary with the size and location of the reservoirs.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine He, Wenhong Li, Ruoying He
Summary: This study examines the relationship between global-scale GPP variability and climate variations using global remote sensing of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) data and empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. The results show significant correlations between SIF variability and climate indices such as ENSO, NAO, and PDO.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joshua C. Bregy, Justin T. Maxwell, Scott M. Robeson, Grant L. Harley, Emily A. Elliott, Karen J. Heeter
Summary: A 473-year-long tree-ring proxy record suggests that tropical cyclone precipitation on the US Gulf Coast is greatly influenced by the behavior of the North Atlantic subtropical high, volcanic eruptions, and Atlantic Multidecadal Variability. Understanding the response of tropical cyclone precipitation to climate change is essential to determine associated flood risk.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justin T. Maxwell, Joshua C. Bregy, Scott M. Robeson, Paul A. Knapp, Peter T. Soule, Valerie Trouet
Summary: The study found that tropical cyclone precipitation extremes have increased in North America's coastal regions over the past few centuries, especially in the last 60 years, indicating a consistent trend with slower movement speeds of tropical cyclones under anthropogenic climate change.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)