Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth

<p>Vegetation provides key ecosystem services and is an important component in the hydrological cycle. Traditionally, the global distribution of vegetation is explained through climatic water availability. Locally, however, groundwater can aid growth by providing an extra water source (e.g. oa...

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Main Authors: C. T. J. Roebroek, L. A. Melsen, A. J. Hoek van Dijke, Y. Fan, A. J. Teuling
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2020-09-01
Series:Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Online Access:https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/24/4625/2020/hess-24-4625-2020.pdf
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spelling doaj-36b9cff2be5d40129d042119de1ad8932020-11-25T02:54:02ZengCopernicus PublicationsHydrology and Earth System Sciences1027-56061607-79382020-09-01244625463910.5194/hess-24-4625-2020Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growthC. T. J. Roebroek0L. A. Melsen1A. J. Hoek van Dijke2A. J. Hoek van Dijke3A. J. Hoek van Dijke4Y. Fan5A. J. Teuling6Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsHydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsHydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsLaboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsEnvironmental Sensing and Modelling, Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Belvaux, LuxembourgDepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USAHydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands<p>Vegetation provides key ecosystem services and is an important component in the hydrological cycle. Traditionally, the global distribution of vegetation is explained through climatic water availability. Locally, however, groundwater can aid growth by providing an extra water source (e.g. oases) or hinder growth by presenting a barrier to root expansion (e.g. swamps). In this study we analyse the global correlation between humidity (expressing climate-driven water and energy availability), groundwater and forest growth, approximated by the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, and link this to climate and landscape position. The results show that at the continental scale, climate is the main driver of forest productivity; climates with higher water availability support higher energy absorption and consequentially more growth. Within all climate zones, however, landscape position substantially alters the growth patterns, both positively and negatively. The influence of the landscape on vegetation growth varies over climate, displaying the importance of analysing vegetation growth in a climate–landscape continuum.</p>https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/24/4625/2020/hess-24-4625-2020.pdf
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author C. T. J. Roebroek
L. A. Melsen
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
Y. Fan
A. J. Teuling
spellingShingle C. T. J. Roebroek
L. A. Melsen
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
Y. Fan
A. J. Teuling
Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
author_facet C. T. J. Roebroek
L. A. Melsen
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
A. J. Hoek van Dijke
Y. Fan
A. J. Teuling
author_sort C. T. J. Roebroek
title Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
title_short Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
title_full Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
title_fullStr Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
title_full_unstemmed Global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
title_sort global distribution of hydrologic controls on forest growth
publisher Copernicus Publications
series Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
issn 1027-5606
1607-7938
publishDate 2020-09-01
description <p>Vegetation provides key ecosystem services and is an important component in the hydrological cycle. Traditionally, the global distribution of vegetation is explained through climatic water availability. Locally, however, groundwater can aid growth by providing an extra water source (e.g. oases) or hinder growth by presenting a barrier to root expansion (e.g. swamps). In this study we analyse the global correlation between humidity (expressing climate-driven water and energy availability), groundwater and forest growth, approximated by the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, and link this to climate and landscape position. The results show that at the continental scale, climate is the main driver of forest productivity; climates with higher water availability support higher energy absorption and consequentially more growth. Within all climate zones, however, landscape position substantially alters the growth patterns, both positively and negatively. The influence of the landscape on vegetation growth varies over climate, displaying the importance of analysing vegetation growth in a climate–landscape continuum.</p>
url https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/24/4625/2020/hess-24-4625-2020.pdf
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