Pervasive drought legacies in forest ecosystems and their implications for carbon cycle models

W. R.L. Anderegg; C. Schwalm; F. Biondi; J. J. Camarero; G. Koch; M. Litvak; K. Ogle; J. D. Shaw; E. Shevliakova; A. P. Williams; A. Wolf; E. Ziaco; S. Pacala

doi:10.1126/science.aab1833

Pervasive drought legacies in forest ecosystems and their implications for carbon cycle models

W. R.L. Anderegg, C. Schwalm, F. Biondi, J. J. Camarero, G. Koch, M. Litvak, K. Ogle, J. D. Shaw, E. Shevliakova, A. P. Williams, A. Wolf, E. Ziaco, S. Pacala

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890 Scopus citations

Abstract

The impacts of climate extremes on terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood but important for predicting carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change. Coupled climate-carbon cycle models typically assume that vegetation recovery from extreme drought is immediate and complete, which conflicts with the understanding of basic plant physiology. We examined the recovery of stem growth in trees after severe drought at 1338 forest sites across the globe, comprising 49,339 site-years, and compared the results with simulated recovery in climate-vegetation models.We found pervasive and substantial "legacy effects" of reduced growth and incomplete recovery for 1 to 4 years after severe drought. Legacy effects were most prevalent in dry ecosystems, among Pinaceae, and among species with low hydraulic safety margins. In contrast, limited or no legacy effects after drought were simulated by current climate-vegetation models. Our results highlight hysteresis in ecosystem-level carbon cycling and delayed recovery from climate extremes.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	528-532
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	349
Issue number	6247
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aab1833
State	Published - Jul 31 2015

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title = "Pervasive drought legacies in forest ecosystems and their implications for carbon cycle models",

abstract = "The impacts of climate extremes on terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood but important for predicting carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change. Coupled climate-carbon cycle models typically assume that vegetation recovery from extreme drought is immediate and complete, which conflicts with the understanding of basic plant physiology. We examined the recovery of stem growth in trees after severe drought at 1338 forest sites across the globe, comprising 49,339 site-years, and compared the results with simulated recovery in climate-vegetation models.We found pervasive and substantial {"}legacy effects{"} of reduced growth and incomplete recovery for 1 to 4 years after severe drought. Legacy effects were most prevalent in dry ecosystems, among Pinaceae, and among species with low hydraulic safety margins. In contrast, limited or no legacy effects after drought were simulated by current climate-vegetation models. Our results highlight hysteresis in ecosystem-level carbon cycling and delayed recovery from climate extremes.",

author = "Anderegg, {W. R.L.} and C. Schwalm and F. Biondi and Camarero, {J. J.} and G. Koch and M. Litvak and K. Ogle and Shaw, {J. D.} and E. Shevliakova and Williams, {A. P.} and A. Wolf and E. Ziaco and S. Pacala",

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doi = "10.1126/science.aab1833",

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T1 - Pervasive drought legacies in forest ecosystems and their implications for carbon cycle models

AU - Anderegg, W. R.L.

AU - Schwalm, C.

AU - Biondi, F.

AU - Camarero, J. J.

AU - Koch, G.

AU - Litvak, M.

AU - Ogle, K.

AU - Shaw, J. D.

AU - Shevliakova, E.

AU - Williams, A. P.

AU - Wolf, A.

AU - Ziaco, E.

AU - Pacala, S.

PY - 2015/7/31

Y1 - 2015/7/31

N2 - The impacts of climate extremes on terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood but important for predicting carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change. Coupled climate-carbon cycle models typically assume that vegetation recovery from extreme drought is immediate and complete, which conflicts with the understanding of basic plant physiology. We examined the recovery of stem growth in trees after severe drought at 1338 forest sites across the globe, comprising 49,339 site-years, and compared the results with simulated recovery in climate-vegetation models.We found pervasive and substantial "legacy effects" of reduced growth and incomplete recovery for 1 to 4 years after severe drought. Legacy effects were most prevalent in dry ecosystems, among Pinaceae, and among species with low hydraulic safety margins. In contrast, limited or no legacy effects after drought were simulated by current climate-vegetation models. Our results highlight hysteresis in ecosystem-level carbon cycling and delayed recovery from climate extremes.

AB - The impacts of climate extremes on terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood but important for predicting carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change. Coupled climate-carbon cycle models typically assume that vegetation recovery from extreme drought is immediate and complete, which conflicts with the understanding of basic plant physiology. We examined the recovery of stem growth in trees after severe drought at 1338 forest sites across the globe, comprising 49,339 site-years, and compared the results with simulated recovery in climate-vegetation models.We found pervasive and substantial "legacy effects" of reduced growth and incomplete recovery for 1 to 4 years after severe drought. Legacy effects were most prevalent in dry ecosystems, among Pinaceae, and among species with low hydraulic safety margins. In contrast, limited or no legacy effects after drought were simulated by current climate-vegetation models. Our results highlight hysteresis in ecosystem-level carbon cycling and delayed recovery from climate extremes.

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Pervasive drought legacies in forest ecosystems and their implications for carbon cycle models

Abstract

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