Consequences of more extreme precipitation regimes for terrestrial ecosystems

Authors

S. D. Smith, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
C. Beier, University of Denmark
Aimee T. Classen, University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Melinda D. Smith, Yale UniversityFollow
Jana L. Heisler, Colorado State University - Fort Collins
S. W. Leavitt, University of Arizona
Alan K. Knapp, Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFollow
D. Briske
Y. LuoFollow
M. Reichstein
J. E. Bell
Philip A. Fay, Natural Resources Research Institute
R. Sherry
Benjamin Smith, Lund UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2008

Publication Title

Bioscience

Volume

58

Issue

9

First page number:

811

Last page number:

821

Abstract

Amplification of the hydrological cycle as a consequence of global warming is forecast to lead to more extreme intra-annual precipitation regimes characterized by larger rainfall events and longer intervals between events. We present a conceptual framework, based on past investigations and ecological theory, for predicting the consequences of this underappreciated aspect of climate change. We consider a broad range of terrestrial ecosystems that vary in their overall water balance. More extreme rainfall regimes are expected to increase the duration and severity of soil water stress in mesic ecosystems as intervals between rainfall events increase. In contrast, xeric ecosystems may exhibit the opposite response to extreme events. Larger but less frequent rainfall events may result in proportional reductions in evaporative losses in xeric systems, and thus may lead to greater soil water availability. Hydric (wetland) ecosystems are predicted to experience reduced periods of anoxia in response to prolonged intervals between rainfall events. Understanding these contingent effects of ecosystem water balance is necessary for predicting how more extreme precipitation regimes will modify ecosystem processes and alter interactions with related global change drivers.

Keywords

Global warming; Hydrologic cycle; Precipitation patterns; Precipitation variability; Soil water availability; Terrestrial ecosystems; Water balance (Hydrology); Water cycle

Disciplines

Climate | Desert Ecology | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Meteorology | Systems Biology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Language

English

Repository Citation

Smith, S. D., Beier, C., Classen, A. T., Smith, M. D., Heisler, J. L., Leavitt, S. W., Knapp, A. K., Briske, D., Luo, Y., Reichstein, M., Bell, J. E., Fay, P. A., Sherry, R., Smith, B. (2008). Consequences of more extreme precipitation regimes for terrestrial ecosystems. Bioscience, 58(9), 811-821.
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/sls_fac_articles/64