Earlier peak photosynthesis timing potentially escalates global wildfires
Lai, Gengke (Nanjing University. Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application)
Li, Jialing (Nanjing University. Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application)
Wang, Jun (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research)
Wu, Chaoyang (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research)
Zhang, Yongguang (Nanjing University. Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application)
Zohner, Constantin (ETH Zürich. Department of Environmental Systems Science)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Ge, Quansheng (Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research)

Date:	2024
Abstract:	More intense fire weather due to climate change is implicated as a key driver of recent extreme wildfire events. As fuel stock, the role of vegetation and its phenology changes in wildfire dynamics, however is not fully appreciated. Using long-term satellite-based burned areas and photosynthesis observations, we reveal that an earlier peak photosynthesis timing (PPT) potentially acts to escalate subsequent wildfires, with an increase in the global average burned fraction of 0. 021% (∼2. 20 Mha) for every additional day of PPT advancement. Satellite observations and Earth System modeling consistently show that this fire escalation is likely due to intensified drought conditions and increased fuel availability associated with the climate feedback arising from earlier PPT. Current fire-enabled dynamic global vegetation models can reproduce the observed negative correlation between PPT and burned area but underestimate the strength of the relationship notably. Given the continued PPT advancement owing to climate change, the bioclimatic effects of vegetation phenology change suggest a potentially pervasive upward pressure on future wildfires.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación TED2021-132627B-I00 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-01333
Note:	Altres ajuts: the Fundación Ramón Areces Grant CIVP20A6621
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Vegetation photosynthesis phenology ; Wildfire ; Climate feedback ; Earth System model
Published in:	National science review, Vol. 11, Issue 9 (September 2024) , art. nwae292, ISSN 2053-714X, ISBN 2053-714X

DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae292
PMID: 39314855

10 p, 2.1 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
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