Vegetation resistance to increasing aridity when crossing thresholds depends on local environmental conditions in global drylands
Abel, Christin LU ; Maestre, Fernando T. ; Berdugo, Miguel ; Tagesson, Torbern LU ; Abdi, Abdulhakim M. LU
; Horion, Stephanie
and Fensholt, Rasmus
(2024)
In Communications Earth and Environment
5(1).
- Abstract
The crossing of aridity thresholds triggers abrupt changes in multiple functional and structural ecosystem attributes across global drylands. While we understand the consequences associated with aridity thresholds, the key factors influencing dryland vegetation resistance when crossing them remain unclear. Here, we used field observations from 58 dryland sites across five continents and satellite remote sensing data (2000-2022) to show that plant richness, soil moisture dynamics and texture, and bare soil fraction are important variables contributing to vegetation resistance. Additionally, drought history (frequency and magnitude of past droughts) is important in interaction with plant richness and soil texture. Interestingly, plant... (More)
The crossing of aridity thresholds triggers abrupt changes in multiple functional and structural ecosystem attributes across global drylands. While we understand the consequences associated with aridity thresholds, the key factors influencing dryland vegetation resistance when crossing them remain unclear. Here, we used field observations from 58 dryland sites across five continents and satellite remote sensing data (2000-2022) to show that plant richness, soil moisture dynamics and texture, and bare soil fraction are important variables contributing to vegetation resistance. Additionally, drought history (frequency and magnitude of past droughts) is important in interaction with plant richness and soil texture. Interestingly, plant species richness was negatively related to vegetation resistance, except in areas with higher drought history and in grasslands. Our results highlight that vegetation resistance depends on local environmental conditions. Enhancing our understanding of the factors important for vegetation resistance is an important step towards dryland conservation efforts and sustainable management strategies.
(Less)
- author
- Abel, Christin
LU
; Maestre, Fernando T.
; Berdugo, Miguel
; Tagesson, Torbern
LU
; Abdi, Abdulhakim M.
LU
; Horion, Stephanie
and Fensholt, Rasmus
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Communications Earth and Environment
- volume
- 5
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 379
- publisher
- Springer Nature
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85198618804
- ISSN
- 2662-4435
- DOI
- 10.1038/s43247-024-01546-w
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 30e2289b-2122-43fe-8ef9-b9c151dd9047
- date added to LUP
- 2024-08-29 15:14:19
- date last changed
- 2024-08-29 15:15:33
@article{30e2289b-2122-43fe-8ef9-b9c151dd9047,
abstract = {{<p>The crossing of aridity thresholds triggers abrupt changes in multiple functional and structural ecosystem attributes across global drylands. While we understand the consequences associated with aridity thresholds, the key factors influencing dryland vegetation resistance when crossing them remain unclear. Here, we used field observations from 58 dryland sites across five continents and satellite remote sensing data (2000-2022) to show that plant richness, soil moisture dynamics and texture, and bare soil fraction are important variables contributing to vegetation resistance. Additionally, drought history (frequency and magnitude of past droughts) is important in interaction with plant richness and soil texture. Interestingly, plant species richness was negatively related to vegetation resistance, except in areas with higher drought history and in grasslands. Our results highlight that vegetation resistance depends on local environmental conditions. Enhancing our understanding of the factors important for vegetation resistance is an important step towards dryland conservation efforts and sustainable management strategies.</p>}},
author = {{Abel, Christin and Maestre, Fernando T. and Berdugo, Miguel and Tagesson, Torbern and Abdi, Abdulhakim M. and Horion, Stephanie and Fensholt, Rasmus}},
issn = {{2662-4435}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{Springer Nature}},
series = {{Communications Earth and Environment}},
title = {{Vegetation resistance to increasing aridity when crossing thresholds depends on local environmental conditions in global drylands}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01546-w}},
doi = {{10.1038/s43247-024-01546-w}},
volume = {{5}},
year = {{2024}},
}