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Widespread increase of boreal summer dry season length over the Congo rainforest

Author

Listed:
  • Yan Jiang

    (University at Albany, State University of New York)

  • Liming Zhou

    (University at Albany, State University of New York)

  • Compton J. Tucker

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • Ajay Raghavendra

    (University at Albany, State University of New York)

  • Wenjian Hua

    (University at Albany, State University of New York
    Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology)

  • Yi Y. Liu

    (Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology)

  • Joanna Joiner

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Abstract

Dry season length strongly influences tropical rainforest vegetation and is largely determined by precipitation patterns1,2. Over the Amazon, the dry season length has increased since 1979 and severe short-term droughts have occurred3,4. However, similar changes have not been investigated for the world’s second largest rainforest, the Congo Basin, where long-term drying and large-scale declines in forest greenness and canopy water content were reported5. Here we present observational evidence for widespread increases in the boreal summer (June–August) dry season length over the Congo Basin since the 1980s, from both hydrological and ecological perspectives. We analysed both dry season onset and dry season end via multiple independent precipitation and satellite-derived vegetation datasets for the period 1979–2015. The dry season length increased by 6.4–10.4 days per decade in the period 1988–2013, primarily attributed to an earlier dry season onset and a delayed dry season end. The earlier dry season onset was caused by long-term droughts due to decreased rainfall in the pre-dry season (April–June). The delayed dry season end resulted from insufficiently replenished soil moisture, which postpones the start of the next wet season and hinders vegetation regrowth. If such changes continue, the enhanced water stress in a warming climate may affect the carbon cycle and alter the composition and structure of evergreen rainforest1,6.

Suggested Citation

  • Yan Jiang & Liming Zhou & Compton J. Tucker & Ajay Raghavendra & Wenjian Hua & Yi Y. Liu & Joanna Joiner, 2019. "Widespread increase of boreal summer dry season length over the Congo rainforest," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(8), pages 617-622, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:9:y:2019:i:8:d:10.1038_s41558-019-0512-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0512-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Yan Yu & Jiafu Mao & Stan D. Wullschleger & Anping Chen & Xiaoying Shi & Yaoping Wang & Forrest M. Hoffman & Yulong Zhang & Eric Pierce, 2022. "Machine learning–based observation-constrained projections reveal elevated global socioeconomic risks from wildfire," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Antoine Leblois, 2021. "Mitigating the impact of bad rainy seasons in poor agricultural regions to tackle deforestation," Post-Print hal-03111007, HAL.
    3. Hao Xu & Xu Lian & Ingrid J. Slette & Hui Yang & Yuan Zhang & Anping Chen & Shilong Piao, 2022. "Rising ecosystem water demand exacerbates the lengthening of tropical dry seasons," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Emmanuel Kasongo Yakusu & Joris Van Acker & Hans Van de Vyver & Nils Bourland & José Mbifo Ndiapo & Théophile Besango Likwela & Michel Lokonda Wa Kipifo & Amand Mbuya Kankolongo & Jan Van den Bulcke &, 2023. "Ground-based climate data show evidence of warming and intensification of the seasonal rainfall cycle during the 1960–2020 period in Yangambi, central Congo Basin," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(10), pages 1-28, October.

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