Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Enda Zhu, Chunxiang Shi, Shuai Sun, Binghao Jia, Yaqiang Wang, Xing Yuan
Summary: This study applies a hybrid data assimilation method to combine satellite observations with land surface modeling, effectively reducing simulation errors in snow cover fraction and improving snow depth and soil temperature simulations.
JOURNAL OF HYDROMETEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Li-Ling Chang, Guo-Yue Niu
Summary: The Tigris-Euphrates dryland river basin has experienced a decline in terrestrial water storage from April 2002 to June 2017. Climate variations and direct human interventions account for 61% and 39% of the negative trend, respectively. Interannual climate variability and decadal climate change contribute to the negative trend, with the former playing a slightly larger role.
JOURNAL OF HYDROMETEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Samar Minallah, Allison L. Steiner, Valeriy Y. Ivanov, Andrew W. Wood
Summary: This study analyzes the terrestrial water budget of the North American Great Lakes region using the Noah-MP land surface model. It shows that there are significant spatiotemporal differences in the hydrological budget, with precipitation and soil moisture explaining most of the variability in the southern basins, while the northern latitudes are snow-dominated regimes. The study also emphasizes that the variability in the terrestrial water cycle is crucial for assessing the impacts of climate and land cover changes in the diverse hydroclimate of the Great Lakes region.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
Yongfei Deng, Zhiqiang Liu, Tingting Zu, Jianyu Hu, Jianping Gan, Yuxin Lin, Zhibing Li, Qi Quan, Zhongya Cai
Summary: This study comprehensively investigates the interannual variability of multi-scale motions in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) and the associated influences from terrestrial, atmospheric, and oceanic processes. The results show that the NSCS circulation and hydrographic properties are sensitive to the tropical climate variability represented by ENSO, and are influenced by various factors.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Cecile C. Remy, Gwenael Magne, Normunds Stivrins, Tuomas Aakala, Hugo Asselin, Heikki Seppae, Tomi Luoto, Nauris Jasiunas, Adam A. A. Ali
Summary: Climate change is expected to increase wildfire activity in boreal ecosystems, threatening the carbon stocks of these forests. Understanding fire regimes and their relationship with climate and vegetation is crucial for anticipating the impact of climate change. However, the lack of long-term knowledge hinders this understanding in Fennoscandia.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaolu Li, Toby Ault, Colin P. Evans, Flavio Lehner, Carlos M. Carrillo, Alison Donnelly, Theresa Crimmins, Amanda S. Gallinat, Mark D. Schwartz
Summary: Plant phenology regulates the carbon cycle and land-atmosphere coupling. Thermal and leaf area index (LAI) based indicators are used to characterize spring onset in CMIP6 models. Most models agree that spring has advanced in recent decades and will continue to arrive earlier with future warming. Thermal-based indicators estimate spring advances of -0.7 to -2.4 days/decade, while LAI-based indicators estimate -0.4 to -1 days/decade. Reconciling these discrepancies is critical for understanding future changes in spring onset.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jingqiu Yang, Haishan Chen, Yidi Song, Siguang Zhu, Botao Zhou, Jie Zhang
Summary: The recent land surface warming over West Asia can impact the atmospheric general circulation and climate over northern China, with abnormal spring warming leading to precipitation changes in different regions of China in early summer.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carolyn B. Voter, Steven P. Loheide
Summary: Understanding how climate factors affect the effectiveness of low impact development (LID) practices is crucial for stormwater management. The study found that the effects of LID practices on long-term surface runoff, deep drainage, and evapotranspiration are controlled by the balance and timing of water and energy availability, as well as precipitation intermittency. This offers a new approach for predicting LID performance across different climates and evaluating strategies under current and future climate conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
V Sivelle, H. Jourde, D. Bittner, B. Richieri, D. Labat, A. Hartmann, G. Chiogna
Summary: This study examines the implication of considering a semi-distributed recharge in a lumped parameter model through multiple hydrological model calibrations and focuses on the uncertainty caused by the model structure. The results suggest that considering a semi-distributed recharge can improve the performance of hydrological models in forest-dominated karst areas, but it may not be applicable to all karst environments.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fausto Machado-Silva, Vinicius Neres-Lima, Andrea Franco Oliveira, Timothy Peter Moulton
Summary: Deforestation has negative impacts on the ecological integrity of rivers and streams, causing threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide. This study examines the effects of forest cover changes on tropical streams using stable isotopic ratios. The results show significant variations in isotopic ratios and highlight the importance of using stable isotopes to monitor and assess the impacts of deforestation on stream ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Smriti Kandel, Buddhi Gyawali, Sandesh Shrestha, Demetrio Zourarakis, George Antonious, Maheteme Gebremedhin, Bijay Pokhrel
Summary: This study examined land cover change and its impact on stream discharge and sediment yield in the Cumberland River watershed near Harlan, Kentucky. Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), the researchers analyzed two land cover scenarios for the years 2001 and 2016. The results showed that the conversion of forest land to other types contributed to an increase in runoff and sediment.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Marie Arnoux, Philip Brunner, Bettina Schaefli, Rebecca Mott, Fabien Cochand, Daniel Hunkeler
Summary: Alpine environments are highly vulnerable to climatic warming, with future water resources management and streamflow behavior in these areas strongly influenced by groundwater storage, geology, and the distribution of unconsolidated quaternary deposits. The buffering capacity of groundwater, particularly in quaternary deposits, plays a critical role in the seasonal storage of water and can impact future summer low flows. Catchments with high groundwater contribution relative to precipitation are likely to experience slower decreases in discharge in response to climate change, highlighting the importance of considering geological factors in water resource management in alpine regions.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Margaret A. Wolf, Logan R. Jamison, D. Kip Solomon, Courtenay Strong, Paul D. Brooks
Summary: Seasonally snow-covered catchments in the western United States provide water supply to growing populations through annual snowmelt-driven streamflow and multi-year groundwater recharge. The variability in streamflow is largely influenced by precipitation, but the efficiency of runoff varies greatly among catchments. This study finds that the variability in winter baseflow, an indicator of groundwater storage, shows periodicity of 2-5 and 12-15 years, driven by regional precipitation patterns and snowmelt dynamics. These results highlight the need to consider the influence of antecedent climate on groundwater storage when managing water supplies from snow-covered catchments.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joel S. Leonard, Kelin X. Whipple, Arjun M. Heimsath
Summary: This study finds that climate has a consistent influence on fluvial erosional efficiency and topography. A simple metric, ksnQ, combining channel steepness and mean annual rainfall, captures this effect. Considering spatial rainfall variability enhances predictions of erosion and rock uplift rates, and supports the assumption of a reference concavity near 0.5. The standard channel steepness metric, ksn, assumes uniform climate and undermines efforts to distinguish climate from tectonic and lithologic effects.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sintayehu Yadete Tola, Amba Shetty
Summary: Changes in land cover and climate have varying effects on flood response behavior in the Upper Awash River basin. Quantitative assessment was conducted to evaluate the impact of these changes on peak and high flows. The study revealed that land cover change played a significant role in increasing upstream flow, while combined changes led to reductions in downstream flow. It is concluded that understanding these dynamics can assist water resource managers in developing effective mitigation strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
P. M. Brando, B. Soares-Filho, L. Rodrigues, A. Assuncao, D. Morton, D. Tuchschneider, E. C. M. Fernandes, M. N. Macedo, U. Oliveira, M. T. Coe
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rodnei Rizzo, Andrea S. Garcia, Vivian M. de F. N. Vilela, Maria Victoria R. Ballester, Christopher Neill, Daniel C. Victoria, Humberto R. da Rocha, Michael T. Coe
Article
Plant Sciences
Paulo Brando, Marcia Macedo, Divino Silverio, Ludmila Rattis, Lucas Paolucci, Ane Alencar, Michael Coe, Cristina Amorim
Article
Environmental Sciences
John M. Melack, Michael T. Coe
Summary: Amplitude, duration, frequency, and predictability of runoff and inundation are key hydrological characteristics linked to aquatic ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. These factors, integrated through remote sensing, measurements, and modeling, are crucial for effective legislation and conservation efforts in the Amazon floodplain ecology.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eric G. Booth, Christopher J. Kucharik
Summary: The manureshed concept aims to rebalance surplus manure nutrients with nutrient-deficient croplands to reduce negative environmental impacts. Most agricultural datasets used for these analyses are only available at the county scale, not matching watershed boundaries. Sub-county scale data integration is needed for more effective delineation and implementation of manuresheds.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Sifan A. Koriche, Sri D. Nandini-Weiss, Matthias Prange, Joy S. Singarayer, Klaus Arpe, Hannah L. Cloke, Michael Schulz, Pepijn Bakker, Suzanne A. G. Leroy, Michael Coe
Summary: This study examines the impact of Caspian Sea area on climate using a fully coupled climate model, revealing significant changes in regional atmospheric water budget and temperatures. The results show that variations in Caspian Sea area have wide-ranging impacts on climate that should be incorporated into climate model simulations, including paleo and future scenarios.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tyler J. Lark, Nathan P. Hendricks, Aaron Smith, Nicholas Pates, Seth A. Spawn-Lee, Matthew Bougie, Eric G. Booth, Christopher J. Kucharik, Holly K. Gibbs
Summary: This study evaluates the realized effects of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the United States through econometric analyses, land use observations, and biophysical models. The findings show that the RFS policy increased corn and crop prices, expanded corn cultivation and cropland, raised fertilizer use and water quality degradants, and resulted in higher carbon intensity of corn ethanol compared to gasoline. These tradeoffs need to be considered when making decisions about renewable energy policies and the role of corn ethanol in climate mitigation goals.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth Berg, Christopher Kucharik
Summary: The urban heat island (UHI) effect, where cities are warmer than rural areas, is increasingly important in a rapidly urbanizing and warming world. This study found that air temperature (T-air) and land surface temperature (LST) show greater agreement in spatial distribution than in magnitude, with a complex relationship that varies with plant phenology.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shihua Li, Yingping Wang, Philippe Ciais, Stephen Sitch, Hisashi Sato, Miaogen Shen, Xiuzhi Chen, Akihiko Ito, Chaoyang Wu, Christopher J. Kucharik, Wenping Yuan
Summary: Spring leaf phenology plays a crucial role in surface albedo, carbon balance, and the water cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. This study compared the performance of ten terrestrial ecosystem models in reproducing the spatial and temporal variations of spring leaf phenology using in situ observations from China. The results showed that ORCHIDEE and VISIT performed the best in different aspects, while the other models failed to reproduce both the spatial and temporal patterns. The study also highlighted the uncertainties in predicting spring leaf phenology changes with the warming climate and the need for further improvement in model parameters and algorithms.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ariane A. Rodrigues, Marcia N. Macedo, Divino Silverio, Leandro Maracahipes, Michael T. Coe, Paulo M. Brando, Julia Z. Shimbo, Raoni Rajao, Britaldo Soares-Filho, Mercedes M. C. Bustamante
Summary: The Brazilian Cerrado, one of the most biodiverse savannas, has experienced extensive land-use transitions, resulting in reduced evapotranspiration and increased land surface temperature. Forest clearance for cropland or pasture has led to significant increases in land surface temperature and reductions in evapotranspiration. Transitioning from woody savannas to cropland or pasture also has similar effects but to a lesser extent. On the other hand, converting native grasslands to cropland or pasture has limited impact on land surface temperature but reduces evapotranspiration. Overall, these land changes have negatively impacted the water cycle and increased average land surface temperature in the Cerrado biome.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tyler J. Lark, Nathan P. Hendricks, Aaron Smith, Nicholas Pates, Seth A. Spawn-Lee, Matthew Bougie, Eric G. Booth, Christopher J. Kucharik, Holly K. Gibbs
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria del Rosario Uribe, Michael T. Coe, Andrea D. A. Castanho, Marcia N. Macedo, Denis Valle, Paulo M. Brando
Summary: Tropical ecosystems store a large amount of carbon, and water availability plays a crucial role in its distribution. This study reveals that the contraction of humid regions and expansion of dry areas in the tropics due to climate change could lead to significant carbon loss. Under different emission scenarios, the net carbon losses could double across the tropics, with a substantial part attributed to the decline of humid areas in South America. Climate mitigation strategies can help prevent these carbon losses and preserve the natural carbon sink in tropical regions.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jing Liu, Laura Bowling, Christopher Kucharik, Sadia Jame, Uris Baldos, Larissa Jarvis, Navin Ramankutty, Thomas Hertel
Summary: Reducing nutrient loss from agriculture and improving water quality requires a combination of management practices. Regional measures alone may lead to displacement of corn production and offset the overall effectiveness of nutrient management strategies. However, implementing partial measures in tandem with nationwide policies, such as wetland restoration, split fertilizer application, and a nitrogen loss tax, can significantly reduce nutrient loss without significantly increasing corn prices.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Emily Marrs Heineman, Christopher J. Kucharik
Summary: Crop rotations improve soil health in the Wisconsin Central Sands region by replenishing lost nutrients, increasing organic matter, improving microbial activity, and reducing disease risk and weed pressure. Dominant rotations in this region include corn, soybean, alfalfa, sweet corn, potato, and beans. Continuous corn is the most common rotation, but there is a need for longer rotations for potato to combat pest and disease pressure. Adopting longer rotations with crops that require less nitrogen fertilizer could improve water quality.
Article
Agronomy
Josh Bendorf, Shane Hubbard, Christopher J. Kucharik, Andy VanLoocke
Summary: This research utilized geospatial datasets to assess the regional trends in land use, precipitation, and hydrologic change in the Driftless Region of the U.S. Midwest. The study found that row crop expansion was mainly on steeper slopes and had varying correlations with precipitation and streamflow in the area.
AGROSYSTEMS GEOSCIENCES & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)