Evaluation of the influence of ENSO on tropical vegetation in long time series using a new indicator

Yibo Yan; Kebiao Mao; Xinyi Shen; Mengmeng Cao; Tongren Xu; Zhonghua Guo; Qing Bao

Ecological Indicators (Oct 2021)

Evaluation of the influence of ENSO on tropical vegetation in long time series using a new indicator

Yibo Yan,
Kebiao Mao,
Xinyi Shen,
Mengmeng Cao,
Tongren Xu,
Zhonghua Guo,
Qing Bao

Affiliations

Yibo Yan: Hulunbeir Grassland Ecosystem Research station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; School of Physics and Electronic-Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Kebiao Mao: Hulunbeir Grassland Ecosystem Research station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; School of Physics and Electronic-Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China; Corresponding author.
Xinyi Shen: Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Mengmeng Cao: Hulunbeir Grassland Ecosystem Research station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Tongren Xu: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Zhonghua Guo: School of Physics and Electronic-Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Qing Bao: Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 129
p. 107872

Abstract

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With the intensification of extreme weather events in recent years, the drought, flood and fire caused by super El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) led to lot’s of vegetation destruction in multiple tropical regions. However, little is known about the influence of ENSO on tropical vegetation of long time series (especially after 2015) and the influence’s internal mechanism. Based on generating the long-term vegetation data (combined multiple satellite sensors data), a new index (Vegetation - ENSO response index, VERI) was created to evaluate the influence of ENSO on vegetation more accurately and comprehensively, which considering several factors including the correlation between ENSO index and NDVI anomaly, the change amplitude of NDVI in ENSO events and the duration time and lag time of the influence of ENSO on vegetation. The analysis indicated that tropical vegetation exhibited a fluctuating increase state with an overall increasing range of 4.46%, and the greening trends were the most significant and dramatical in the Indian Peninsula (0.0031/y), the coast of the Gulf of Guinea (0.0026/y), and the Amazon River estuary (0.0025/y). ENSO can lead to significant enhancement or degradation of vegetation in at least 10% of tropical regions, especially in East Africa (|VERI| =0.16), Southern Africa (|VERI|=0.18) and Indonesia (|VERI|=0.14). Among them, shrubs are the most widely affected areas (32.08%) due to limited water resources. ENSO's greening effect is mainly accomplished by increasing precipitation (warm/r = 0.166, cold/r = 0.249) and its degradation effect is more closely related to temperature increase (warm/r = −0.374, cold/r = −0.101). The change of VERI in different periods indicated that the ENSO's influence on vegetation has changed after 2000, which meant the improving effect of cold events on tropical vegetation was weakened, while the inhibiting effect was enhanced. These findings can help us better understand and respond to the effects of ENSO on tropical vegetation in the context of global change.

Published in Ecological Indicators

ISSN: 1470-160X (Print); 1872-7034 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators

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