Drought resistance across California ecosystems: evaluating changes in carbon dynamics using satellite imagery

• DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1561
• Publication Date: 2016-11-17T03:41:54Z
• Authors: Sparkle L. Malone; Mirela G. Tulbure; Antonio J. Pérez‐...; Timothy J. Assal; Leah L. Bremer; Debora P. Drucker; Vicken Hillis; Sara Varela; Michael L. Goulden
• Keywords: Water Use Efficiency

Abstract Drought is a global issue that exacerbated by climate change and increasing anthropogenic water demands. The recent occurrence of drought in California provides an important opportunity to examine response across ecosystem classes (forests, shrublands, grasslands, wetlands), which essential understand how influences structure function. We quantified resistance comparing changes satellite‐derived estimates water‐use efficiency ( WUE = net primary productivity [ NPP ]/evapotranspiration ET ]) under normal (i.e., baseline) conditions (Δ 2014 − baseline ). With this method, areas with are considered more resilient than systems declining . Baseline varied (0.08 3.85 g C/mm H 2 O) generally increased severe 2014. Strong correlations between Δ , precipitation, leaf area index LAI ) indicate ecosystems lower average grasslands) also had greater C‐uptake rates when was limiting higher carbon‐uptake CUE / conditions. found ≤ 0.4 exhibited decline conditions, suggesting might be indicative low resistance. severity, were identified as drivers shifts over the study period. These findings have implications for understanding effects on C sequestration may influence future.