Contrasting Climatic Controls on the Estimated Productivity of Global Terrestrial Biomes

Net primary productivity (NPP) represents the greatest annual carbon flux from the atmosphere to the biosphere, is an important component of seasonal fluctuations in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, and is the most critical biotic component of the global carbon cycle. NPP measures products of major economic and social importance, such as crop yield and forest production. Given that global NPP can not be measured directly, model simulations must provide understanding of its global spatial and temporal dynamics. In this study, we used the biogeochemical model BIOME-BGC to simulate global terrestrial NPP and assessed relative importance of climatic controls (temperature, water availability, and radiation) in limiting NPP in the array of climatic combinations found globally. The degree of limitation on NPP by climatic controls was defined by using an empirical membership function. Results showed that temperature or water availability limited NPP over larger land areas (31% and 52%, respectively) than did radiation limitation (5%). Climatic controls appeared to be important in limiting productivity in most vegetation biomes, except for evergreen broadleaf forests. Nevertheless, there were areas of the globe (12%) where none of the climatic factors appeared to limit NPP. Our research has suggested that other environmental controls, such as nutrient availability or biological constraints, should then be considered. The wide distribution of NPP between zero and the upper boundary values in the correlation plots indicated that multivariate environmental balances, not single limiting factors, controlled biospheric productivity. Received 27 August 1997; accepted 19 November 1997.     

Global distribution and bioclimatic characterization of alpine biomes

Although there is a general consensus on the distribution and ecological features of terrestrial biomes, the allocation of alpine ecosystems in the global biogeographic system is still unclear. Here, we delineate a global map of alpine areas above the treeline by modelling regional treeline elevation at 30 m resolution, using global forest cover data and quantile regression. We then used global datasets to 1) assess the climatic characteristics of alpine ecosystems using principal component analysis, 2) define bioclimatic groups by an optimized cluster analysis and 3) evaluate patterns of primary productivity based on the normalized difference vegetation index. As defined here, alpine biomes cover 3.56 Mkm² or 2.64% of land outside Antarctica. Despite temperature differences across latitude, these ecosystems converge below a sharp threshold of 5.9°C and towards the colder end of the global climatic space. Below that temperature threshold, alpine ecosystems are influenced by a latitudinal gradient of mean annual temperature and they are climatically differentiated by seasonality and continentality. This gradient delineates a climatic envelope of global alpine biomes around temperate, boreal and tundra biomes as defined in Whittaker's scheme. Although alpine biomes are similarly dominated by poorly vegetated areas, world ecoregions show strong differences in the productivity of their alpine belt irrespectively of major climate zones. These results suggest that vegetation structure and function of alpine ecosystems are driven by regional and local contingencies in addition to macroclimatic factors.     

Biogeographic historical legacies in the net primary productivity of Northern Hemisphere forests

It has been suggested that biogeographic historical legacies in plant diversity may influence ecosystem functioning. This is expected because of known diversity effects on ecosystem functions, and impacts of historical events such as past climatic changes on plant diversity. However, empirical evidence for a link between biogeographic history and present‐day ecosystem functioning is still limited. Here, we explored the relationships between Late‐Quaternary climate instability, species‐pool size, local species and functional diversity, and the net primary productivity (NPP) of Northern Hemisphere forests using structural equation modelling. Our study confirms that past climate instability has negative effects on plant functional diversity and through that on NPP, after controlling for present‐day climate, soil conditions, stand biomass and age. We conclude that global models of terrestrial plant productivity need to consider the biogeographical context to improve predictions of plant productivity and feedbacks with the climate system.     

基于CASA模型的内蒙古典型草原植被净初级生产力动态模拟

 植被净初级生产力及其对气候变化的响应研究是全球变化的核心内容之一。在利用内蒙古典型草原连续13年的地上生物量资料对基于遥感信息的生态系统碳循环过程CASA(Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach)模型验证的基础上, 分析了内蒙古典型草原1982~2002年植被净初级生产力(Net primary productivity, NPP)的时间变异及其影响因子。结果表明: 1) 1982~2002年21年间内蒙古典型草原的平均年NPP为290.23 g C·m^–2·a^–1, 变化范围为 145.80~502.84 g C·m^–2·a^–1; 2)内蒙古典型草原NPP呈增加趋势, 但没有达到显著性水平, 其中1982~1999年的18年间NPP呈现非常显著的增加趋势(p<0.01), NPP增加的直接原因是由于生长旺季生长本身增强所致; 3)内蒙古典型草原NPP与年降水量呈极显著的相关关系, 年降水量显著影响NPP的变异, 而NPP与年均温无显著相关关系。     

The global relationship between climate,net primary production and the diet of spiders

Aim We compiled data on prey utilization of spiders at a global scale to better understand the relationship between current climate or net primary production (NPP) and diet breadth, evenness and composition in spiders. We test whether the productivity and the diversity–climatic‐stability (DCS) hypotheses focusing on diversity patterns may also explain global patterns in prey utilization by web‐building and cursorial spiders. Location A global dataset of 95 data points from semi‐natural and natural terrestrial habitats spanning 41.3° S to 56.1° N. Methods We collected data on spider prey (29 groups, mostly order‐level invertebrate taxa) through extensive literature research to identify the relationship between climatic conditions and NPP and spider diets based on 66 studies of prey composition in 82 spider species. Results The number of prey groups in spider diets was positively related to NPP, after accounting for differences in sampling effort in the original studies. In general, diet breadth was significantly higher for spider species in tropical environments. Prey individuals in spider diets were more evenly distributed among different prey groups in warmer environments with lower fluctuations in precipitation. Collembola and other spiders were more common prey for spiders with a cursorial hunting mode. Myriapoda and Collembola were more common prey in cooler climates with more stable precipitation, whereas Isoptera, Lepidoptera, Psocoptera and Coleoptera showed the opposite pattern. Main conclusions The positive relationship between diet breadth and NPP and the negative relationship between prey evenness and seasonality in precipitation support the productivity and the DCS hypotheses, respectively. This effect on global patterns of invertebrate predator–prey interactions suggests that trophic interactions between spiders and their prey are sensitive to climatic conditions. Climatic conditions may not only affect spider community composition, but also considerably alter the functional role of these abundant invertebrate predators in terrestrial ecosystems.     

陆地植被净初级生产力计算模型研究进展

植被净初级生产力(NPP)研究是全球变化与陆地生态系统的核心内容之一。在回顾NPP模型研究的基础上,综合分析了气候模型、生态生理过程模型、光能利用率模型各自的优缺点,并对NPP模型研究做出展望。生态生理过程模型是当前陆地NPP估算研究的主要手段,而区域尺度转换则是它所面临的关键问题。近年来光能利用率模型已成为NPP估算的一种全新手段,它利用遥感所获得的全覆盖数据,使区域及全球尺度的NPP估算成为可能,但其生态学机理还有待于进一步研究。已有研究表明,“生态一遥感耦合模型”将是陆地NPP估算的主要发展方向,它融合了生态生理过程模型和光能利用率模型的优点,增强了NPP模型估算的可靠性和可操作性。     

内蒙古草原生态系统净初级生产力及其与气候的关系

该文在利用朱文泉等(2007)构建的基于光能利用率的净初级生产力(NPP)遥感估算模型对内蒙古草原生态系统1982-2006年的NPP进行估算的基础上, 选取包括降水量、温度、有效降水、有效温度和3种地表干湿度指数在内的气候指标, 充分考虑地表覆盖状况和气候因子的时滞和累积效应, 探讨了内蒙古草原生态系统NPP与气候因子之间的相互作用关系。结果表明, 以年为时间单位, 在年际水平上, 温度相关的各指标与年NPP的关系并不明显, 当年的气候条件对草原区植被的生长影响最大。以月为时间单位, 年内月气温和降水是影响NPP的重要因素。且所有植被类型区在年内月际水平上气候各指标对NPP的影响时效最大为1个月, NPP和各气候参量的关系时效也为1个月; 在年际水平上5-9月的NPP与降水、地表干湿度指数的互相关系数明显高于同温度各指标的互相关系数, 表明降水是影响内蒙古草原NPP的主要气候因子, 且降水的累积效应影响显著。不同植被类型区年际月NPP与降水指标之间的关系也各不相同。     

基于遥感和过程模型的亚洲东部陆地生态系统初级生产力分布特征

利用美国环境预测中心的再分析气象资料和由GIMMS NDVI 资料生成的叶面积指数对BEPS生态模型进行驱动,模拟分析了2000-2005年亚洲东部地区总初级生产力（GPP）和总净初级生产力（NPP）的时空变化特征.在进行区域模拟计算前,使用15个站点不同生态系统的GPP观测数据及1300个样点的NPP观测数据对模型进行验证.结果表明： BEPS模型能较好地模拟不同生态系统的GPP和NPP变化,模拟的GPP与观测数据之间的R2为0.86～0.99,均方根误差（RMSE）为0.2～1.2 g C·m-2·d-1;BEPS模拟值能够解释78%的年NPP变化,其RMSE为118 g C·m-2·a-1.2000-2005年,亚洲东部地区GPP和NPP总量平均值分别为21.7和10.5 Pg C·a-1.NPP和GPP具有相似的时空变化特征.研究期间,NPP总量的变化范围为10.2～10.7 Pg C·a-1, 变异系数为2.2%.NPP由东南向西北显著减少,高值区〖JP2〗（>1000 g C·m-2·a-1）出现在东南亚海岛国家,我国的西北干旱沙漠地区为低值区（<30 g C·m-2·a-1）,〖JP〗其空间格局主要由气候因子决定.不同国家的人均NPP差异很大,其中,蒙古最高,达70217 kg C·a-1,远高于中国的人均NPP（1921 kg C·a-1）,印度的人均NPP最小,为757 kg C·a-1.     

天然草原净初级生产力变化监测与驱动力分析——以锡林郭勒草原为例

草地是陆地生态系统重要的组分,利用遥感技术在宏观尺度分析天然草原长势变化与其驱动力是了解草地生态状况的重要手段。本研究基于气候模型和光能利用率模型分别模拟2000—2018年锡林郭勒草原植被潜在植被净初级生产力(NPP)和实际NPP,以它们的差值作为由人类活动导致的NPP残损值,并利用最小二乘法在像元尺度分析锡林郭勒草原NPP时空变化规律以及气候和人类活动对NPP的驱动作用。结果表明: 2000—2018年间,锡林郭勒草地NPP在空间上呈由西向东递增分布规律,年均NPP为271.54 g C·m^-2·a^-1,NPP上升(草地恢复)面积为3.65万km²,NPP下降(草地退化)面积为5.99万km²;潜在NPP在温度和降水的驱动下趋于上升趋势,年均上升6.5 g C·m^-2·a^-1,表明研究期间区域气候(降水和温度)对锡林郭勒草原NPP的提升具有积极作用,草地退化的驱动力主要来自人类活动;人类活动导致的研究区NPP残损值呈由东向西、由南向北递减分布,其中,乌珠穆沁草甸草原及南部典型草原残损值最高;采矿、开垦等人类活动对草地NPP的影响最明显。     

中国陆地植被净初级生产力遥感估算

该文在综合分析已有光能利用率模型的基础上,构建了一个净初级生产力(NPP)遥感估算模型,该模型体现了3方面的特色:1)将植被覆盖分类引入模型,并考虑植被覆盖分类精度对NPP估算的影响,由它们共同决定不同植被覆盖类型的归一化植被指数(NDVI)最大值;2)根据误差最小的原则,利用中国的NPP实测数据,模拟出各植被类型的最大光能利用率,使之更符合中国的实际情况;3)根据区域蒸散模型来模拟水分胁迫因子,与土壤水分子模型相比,这在一定程度上对有关参数实行了简化,使其实际的可操作性得到加强。模拟结果表明,1989~1993年中国陆地植被NPP平均值为3.12 Pg C (1 Pg=10¹⁵ g),NPP模拟值与观测值比较接近,690个实测点的平均相对误差为4.5%;进一步与其它模型模拟结果以及前人研究结果的比较表明,该文所构建的NPP遥感估算模型具有一定的可靠性,说明在区域及全球尺度上,利用地理信息系统技术将遥感数据和各种观测数据集成在一起,并对NPP模型进行参数校正,基本上可以实现全球范围不同生态系统NPP的动态监测。     

Assessing the Response of Seasonal Variation of Net Primary Productivity to Climate Using Remote Sensing Data and Geographic Information System Techniques in Xinjiang

Net pdmary productivity (NPP) is a key component of energy and matter transformation in the terrestrial ecosystem, and the responses of NPP to global change locally and regionally have been one of the most important aspects in climate-vegetation relationship studies. In order to isolate causal climatic factors, it is very important to assess the response of seasonal variation of NPP to climate. In this paper, NPP in Xinjiang was estimated by NOAA/AVHRR Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The impact of climatic factors (air temperature, precipitation and sunshine percentage) on seasonal variations of NPP was studied by time lag and serial correlation ageing analysis. The results showed that the NPP for different land cover types have a similar correlation with any one of the three climatic factors, and precipitation is the major climatic factor influencing the seasonal variation of NPP in Xinjiang. It was found that the positive correlation at 0 lag appeared between NPP and precipitation and the serial correlation ageing was 0 d in most areas of Xinjiang, which indicated that the response of NPP to precipitation was immediate. However, NPP of different land cover types showed significant positive correlation at 2 month lag with air temperature, and the impact of which could persist 1 month as a whole. No correlation was found between NPP and sunshine percentage.     

黄土高原草地净初级生产力时空趋势及其驱动因素

草地净初级生产力是生态系统碳循环的关键环节和重要组成部分.本研究使用分段线性回归分析和Pearson相关分析,分析了黄土高原2000-2015年间土地利用类型未改变的草地净初级生产力(NPP)的变化趋势及气候核心因子(年降水量、年强降水量、年有效降水日数、年平均温度、年最高温度、年最低温度)对NPP变化的影响,并借助增...     

Plio-Pleistocene climatic change in the Turkana Basin (East Africa): evidence from large mammal faunas

We investigated palaeoclimatic change in the Turkana Basin during the Pliocene climatic shift toward increased aridity in Africa. We analyzed the palaeoecology of this area using mammal faunas as environmental indicators. Twenty Plio-Pleistocene fossil assemblages and a comparative dataset of 16 modern localities covering a wide range of climatic and ecological conditions across Africa were analyzed. We constructed community profiles using taxonomic variables which reflect ecological information. Principal component analysis and bivariate correlation were used to study changes in the community structure of these mammalian faunas and to draw palaeoenvironmental inferences. Subsequently, least-squares regressions yielded climatic estimates (annual rainfall and drought length) for the studied period. An additional set of 8 modern faunas was used to validate these regression models. The climatic estimates showed a drying trend throughout the sequence. The biomes in the Turkana Basin changed from semi-evergreen rain forest to deciduous woodland and savanna during the middle-late Pliocene. This was the most important climatic shift detected in our study. Evidence suggests a continuous presence of savannas from 2.5 million years ago onwards. This pattern of climatic change is consistent with isotopic evidence on global climate, and with independently derived regional palaeoenvironmental evidence (i.e., micromammals, palaeovegetation, soil carbonates and palaeosols).     

Net primary production, carbon storage and climate change in Chinese biomes

Net primary production (NPP) and leaf area index (LAI) of Chinese biomes were simulated by BIOME3 under the present climate, and their responses to climate change and doubled CO₂ under a future climatic scenario using output from Hadley Center coupled ocean‐atmosphere general circulation model with CO₂ modelled at 340 and 500 ppmv. The model estimated annual mean NPP of the biomes in China to be between 0 and 1270.7 gC m^‐2 yr^‐1 at present. The highest productivity was found in tropical seasonal and rain forests while temperate forests had an intermediate NPP, which is higher than a lower NPP of temperate savannas, grasslands and steppes. The lowest NPP occurred in desert, alpine tundra and ice/polar desert in cold or arid regions, especially on the Tibetan Plateau. The lowest monthly NPP of each biome occurred generally in February and the highest monthly NPP occurred during the summer (June to August). The annual mean NPP and LAI of most of biomes at changed climate with CO₂ at 340 and 500 ppmv (direct effects on physiology) would be greater than present. The direct effects of carbon dioxide on plant physiology result in significant increase of LAI and NPP. The carbon storage of Chinese biomes at present and changed climates was calculated by the carbon density and vegetation area method. The present estimates of carbon storage are totally 175.83 × 10¹² gC (57.57 × 10¹² gC in vegetation and 118.28 × 10¹² gC in soils). Changed climate without and with the CO₂ direct physiological effects will result in an increase of carbon storage of 5.1 and 16.33 × 10¹², gC compared to present, respectively. The interaction between elevated CO₂ and climate change plays an important role in the overall responses of NPP and carbon to climate change.     

Using temperature‐dependent changes in leaf scaling relationships to quantitatively account for thermal acclimation of respiration in a coupled global climate–vegetation model

The response of plant respiration (R) to temperature is an important component of the biosphere's response to climate change. At present, most global models assume that R increases exponentially with temperature and does not thermally acclimate. Although we now know that acclimation does occur, quantitative incorporation of acclimation into models has been lacking. Using a dataset for 19 species grown at four temperatures (7, 14, 21, and 28 °C), we have assessed whether sustained differences in growth temperature systematically alter the slope and/or intercepts of the generalized log–log plots of leaf R vs. leaf mass per unit leaf area (LMA) and vs. leaf nitrogen (N) concentration. The extent to which variations in growth temperature account for the scatter observed in log–log R–LMA–N scaling relationships was also assessed. We show that thermal history accounts for up to 20% of the scatter in scaling relationships used to predict R, with the impact of thermal history on R–LMA–N generalized scaling relationships being highly predictable. This finding enabled us to quantitatively incorporate acclimation of R into a coupled global climate–vegetation model. We show that accounting for acclimation of R has negligible impact on predicted annual rates of global R, net primary productivity (NPP) or future atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. However, our analysis suggests that accounting for acclimation is important when considering carbon fluxes among thermally contrasting biomes (e.g. accounting for acclimation decreases predicted rates of R by up to 20% in high‐temperature biomes). We conclude that acclimation of R needs to be accounted for when predicting potential responses of terrestrial carbon exchange to climatic change at a regional level.     

我国西南喀斯特地区2001—2018年植被净初级生产力时空演变

植被净初级生产力（Net primary productivity,NPP）是陆地生态系统碳循环的重要指标,定量评价NPP的变化规律是碳循环机理的主要研究内容之一。以我国西南地区为研究区域,基于土地覆盖和NPP产品分析了2001-2018年西南地区NPP的时空变化特征,利用土地转移矩阵和统计分析方法,定量描述了土地覆盖类型变化导致的NPP变化量,对NPP变化的主要原因进行分析。结果表明：（1）2001-2018年,西南地区NPP均值呈波动上升趋势。（2） NPP变化趋势在空间分布上呈南高北低,NPP呈增长趋势主要集中在四川的中东部、重庆、贵州西部和云南东部;NPP呈减少趋势出现在云南、四川中西部和贵州东部。（3）森林、草地和耕地转灌丛以及灌丛转森林是对NPP变化量影响较大的土地覆盖类型转变,土地类型转变导致的NPP净增量为20.643 TgC。（4）降水与NPP相关性低,气温与NPP有一定相关性,植被叶面积指数与NPP有显著相关关系,表明气候因子对NPP的影响较小,植被生长密度对NPP有显著影响。退耕还林还草等生态工程实施,导致耕地面积减少和森林面积大量增加,是西南地区NPP上升的主导因素,因此生态工程的实施是西南地区NPP增加的重要影响因素。研究可为生态工程实施背景下NPP的变化机理研究提供参考。     

Global drivers of population density in terrestrial vertebrates

Aim

Although the effects of life history traits on population density have been investigated widely, how spatial environmental variation influences population density for a large range of organisms and at a broad spatial scale is poorly known. Filling this knowledge gap is crucial for global species management and conservation planning and to understand the potential impact of environmental changes on multiple species.

Location

Global.

Time period

Present.

Major taxa studied

Terrestrial amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Methods

We collected population density estimates for a range of terrestrial vertebrates, including 364 estimates for amphibians, 850 for reptiles, 5,667 for birds and 7,651 for mammals. We contrasted the importance of life history traits and environmental predictors using mixed models and tested different hypotheses to explain the variation in population density for the four groups. We assessed the predictive accuracy of models through cross‐validation and mapped the partial response of vertebrate population density to environmental variables globally.

Results

Amphibians were more abundant in wet areas with high productivity levels, whereas reptiles showed relatively higher densities in arid areas with low productivity and stable temperatures. The density of birds and mammals was typically high in temperate wet areas with intermediate levels of productivity. The models showed good predictive abilities, with pseudo‐R² ranging between 0.68 (birds) and 0.83 (reptiles).

Main conclusions

Traits determine most of the variation in population density across species, whereas environmental conditions explain the intraspecific variation across populations. Species traits, resource availability and climatic stability have a different influence on the population density of the four groups. These models can be used to predict the average species population density over large areas and be used to explore macroecological patterns and inform conservation analyses.     

The representation of rainfall and fire intensity in fossil pollen and charcoal records from a South African savanna

Savanna ecosystems of southern Africa are strongly influenced by water availability and fire intensity, and this study aimed to show whether these two specific environmental variables are reflected in fossil pollen and charcoal records. Palaeoecological records of charcoal concentration from three short sedimentary sequences were used to reconstruct fire intensity (the rate of energy released along a fire front) over 50 yrs in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Fossil pollen percentages from surface and core-sediment samples taken from water bodies were compared with the reconstructed fire intensity over space and time. Higher fire intensity led to increased herbaceous cover and decreased woody plant growth. Fossil pollen percentages and charcoal concentrations were also compared with rainfall records. Increased macroscopic charcoal abundances and percentages of Cyperaceae pollen corresponded to periods of increased rainfall. The results of this study have shown that fossil pollen and charcoal records from savanna environments can be used to reconstruct past fire intensity and its impact on terrestrial vegetation, as well as changes in rainfall.     

Defining functional biomes and monitoring their change globally

Biomes are important constructs for organizing understanding of how the worlds’ major terrestrial ecosystems differ from one another and for monitoring change in these ecosystems. Yet existing biome classification schemes have been criticized for being overly subjective and for explicitly or implicitly invoking climate. We propose a new biome map and classification scheme that uses information on (i) an index of vegetation productivity, (ii) whether the minimum of vegetation activity is in the driest or coldest part of the year, and (iii) vegetation height. Although biomes produced on the basis of this classification show a strong spatial coherence, they show little congruence with existing biome classification schemes. Our biome map provides an alternative classification scheme for comparing the biogeochemical rates of terrestrial ecosystems. We use this new biome classification scheme to analyse the patterns of biome change observed over recent decades. Overall, 13% to 14% of analysed pixels shifted in biome state over the 30‐year study period. A wide range of biome transitions were observed. For example, biomes with tall vegetation and minimum vegetation activity in the cold season shifted to higher productivity biome states. Biomes with short vegetation and low seasonality shifted to seasonally moisture‐limited biome states. Our findings and method provide a new source of data for rigorously monitoring global vegetation change, analysing drivers of vegetation change and for benchmarking models of terrestrial ecosystem function.     

气候波动和土地覆盖变化对广东省植被净初级生产力的相对影响

为深入理解人类活动对陆地生态系统的影响,采用CASA(Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach)模型估算广东省2000、2005和2010年实际植被净初级生产力(Net primary productivity,NPP),并基于情景模拟法估算气候和土地覆盖类型稳定条件下的植被NPP,对气候波动和土地覆盖变化在植被NPP变化中的相对贡献进行了研究。结果表明:太阳辐射对植被NPP具有显著的正向控制作用,气温与植被NPP表现为显著负相关,降水不是该区域植被生长的限制性因子;各气候因子与植被NPP的相关性具有季节和区域差异性。在气候不变条件下,土地覆盖变化整体上增加了NPP,对NPP变化的相对贡献与城市扩张格局相类似,不同生态区存在差异性,以珠三角区的贡献最大。总之,气候波动对NPP变化的相对贡献较为复杂,取决于气候因子的波动特征以及与NPP的相关性;其它因子(城市热岛、农耕活动和园林管理等)对NPP变化的相对贡献存在很多不确定性,整体上增加了NPP。