Vegetation browning: global drivers, impacts, and feedbacks

Qiuyu Liu; Changhui Peng; Robert Schneider; Dominic Cyr; Zelin Liu; Xiaolu Zhou; Mingxi Du; Peng Li; Zihan Jiang; Nate G McDowell; Daniel Kneeshaw

doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.024

Vegetation browning: global drivers, impacts, and feedbacks

Trends Plant Sci. 2023 Sep;28(9):1014-1032. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.024. Epub 2023 Apr 21.

Authors

Qiuyu Liu¹, Changhui Peng², Robert Schneider³, Dominic Cyr⁴, Zelin Liu⁵, Xiaolu Zhou⁵, Mingxi Du⁶, Peng Li⁵, Zihan Jiang⁷, Nate G McDowell⁸, Daniel Kneeshaw⁹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biology Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Case Postale 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada; School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
² Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biology Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Case Postale 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada; College of Geographic Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China. Electronic address: peng.changhui@uqam.ca.
³ University of Quebec at Rimouski (UQAR), Rimouski, Quebec, G5L 3A1, Canada.
⁴ Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 351 St-Joseph Blvd, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
⁵ College of Geographic Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China.
⁶ School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
⁷ Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biology Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Case Postale 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada; CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China.
⁸ Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Lab, PO Box 999, Richland, WA 99352, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA.
⁹ Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biology Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Case Postale 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada; Centre for Forest Research, University of Quebec at Montreal, Case Postale 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, H3C 3P8, Canada.

PMID: 37087358
DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.024

Abstract

As global climate conditions continue to change, disturbance regimes and environmental drivers will continue to shift, impacting global vegetation dynamics. Following a period of vegetation greening, there has been a progressive increase in remotely sensed vegetation browning globally. Given the many societal benefits that forests provide, it is critical that we understand vegetation dynamic alterations. Here, we review associative drivers, impacts, and feedbacks, revealing the complexity of browning. Concomitant increases in browning include the weakening of ecosystem services and functions and alterations to vegetation structure and species composition, as well as the development of potential positive climate change feedbacks. Also discussed are the current challenges in browning detection and understanding associated impacts and feedbacks. Finally, we outline recommended strategies.

Keywords: climate change; ecosystem functions; ecosystem services; feedbacks.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Climate Change
Ecosystem*
Feedback
Forests*