We comprehensively examine methodologies tailored for subnational crop yield and production forecasting by integrating Earth Observation (EO) datasets and advanced machine learning approaches. We scrutinized diverse input data types, cross-validation methods, and training durations, focusing on maize production and yield predictions in Burkina Faso and Somalia. Central to our analysis is the comparative

Sierra de las Nieves is the southernmost National Park in continental Spain and, in a global warming scenario, it is important to determine the impacts of climatic variations on the vegetation, with special relevance to their reproductive cycles. The flowering seasonality and intensity of the dominant anemophilous species usually reflect the response of the vegetation to climate variations, which can

Dutch elm disease (DED) is a devastating forest disease. Recently, the deployment of native resistant cultivars has prompted initiatives of elm reintroduction in Europe and North America. It is known that DED resistance varies with the tree genotype and is influenced by climatic factors. However, genotype-by-environment interactions in DED resistance remain largely unexplored. In this work, we examined

Plants maintain their health through various ecological processes, among which resilience to external stresses has received increasing attention in recent years. By analyzing tree-ring data from 1762 sites, encompassing a total of 1,623,006 weak stresses (mean-2sd ≤ tree ring indices (TRI) < mean-sd) and 320,345 strong stresses (TRI < mean-2sd), we observed a significant growth increase following stresses

Identifying regions with similar productivity and yield-limiting climatic factors enables the design of tailored strategies for rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) production in vulnerable environments. Within the United States (US), the Great Plains region is susceptible to weather fluctuations, particularly in Kansas, where rainfed maize production is a significant agricultural activity. This study aims

Growth asynchrony in trees increases uncertainty in modeling forest productivity and ecological services. Despite recognition of growth variability among trees, the process of asynchronous growth and its ecological implications are poorly understood. We used tree-ring data obtained from increment core samples in 1046 juniper trees at 32 sites on the Tibetan Plateau and 538 pine trees at 20 sites in

Three Mediterranean oak species were considered in this study: one evergreen oak (Quercus suber, the most tolerant to drought) and two winter-deciduous oaks (Q. faginea, which shows intermediate tolerance, and Q. pyrenaica, with the lowest tolerance and highest soil water requirements). These three species were sampled, covering wide age and diameter gradients, in two National Parks located in central

Quantifying vegetation responses to drought and assessing their vulnerability are crucial for mitigating the adverse impacts of extreme drought events. In northern China, vegetation responses to the accumulative and lagged effects of drought remain unclear, and the drought sensitivity of different vegetation types has not been well understood. Here, the accumulative effect refers to the cumulative

Plant hydraulics substantially affects terrestrial water and carbon cycles by modulating water transport and carbon assimilation. Despite improved drought simulations in certain ecosystems through their integration into land surface models (LSMs), the broader application of plant hydraulics in diverse ecosystems and hydroclimates is still underexplored. In this study, we implemented the recently developed

Wetlands are the primary natural source of methane (CH4) emissions to the atmosphere, however, the quantification of wetland CH4 flux and net carbon budgets remains uncertain due to limited measurements and large variability across different types of wetlands. Based on continuous measurements using the eddy covariance (EC) technique over a “floating blanket” wetland in southwest China for a period

Accurate determination of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) is important in various research fields like hydrology, meteorology, ecology and agriculture. In situ ETa can be determined using weighing lysimeters and eddy covariance. However, despite being regarded as the most precise in situ method for measuring ETa, the information content of lysimeter measurements remains poorly understood. Here we examined

Managed pastures are strong sources for the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) through various nitrogen (N) inputs. So far, chamber measurements have been used to quantify N2O emissions and emissions factors of specific emissions sources like grazing cattle excreta. This study presents a three-year dataset of N2O emissions from a grazed and fertilized pasture measured by eddy covariance (EC) in eastern

With climate change intensifying, forests globally are becoming more susceptible to extreme weather events, such as windstorms, which account for a significant share of Europe’s economic losses. The Vaia windstorm of late autumn 2018, striking Italy’s North-East alpine ecosystem, highlighted this vulnerability, toppling over 8.5 million cubic meters of timber and sparking debates on forest management’s

The pattern of radial water transport in tree stems, specifically the interaction between bark and xylem, remains elusive because few measurement techniques are not capable of independently sensing bark water content (BWC) and xylem water content (XWC). To investigate the water variations in stem, two improved flexible sensors operating at 100 MHz and equipped with small interdigital-electrode (IE)

Non-steady-state chambers are often used for greenhouse gas flux measurements, and while there are recommendations on how long to keep the chamber closed, it is less investigated to what extent the length of the chamber closure period affects the estimated flux rates and which closure periods may provide the most accurate linear and non-linear flux estimates. Previous studies have shown that the closure

Summer heatwaves and extended dry spells create optimal meteorological conditions for occasional dry thunderstorms to produce simultaneous lightning-ignited wildfires (LIW). Concurrent ignitions put a significant burden on the firefighting's initial attack, potentially allowing incipient LIWs to escape and grow into large fires. While we can reasonably forecast lightning activity, predicting dry thunderstorm

Widespread global greening driven by CO2 fertilization implies a denser canopy structure, and more leaves could be used to collect light from the atmosphere for plant photosynthesis. Whether this increase in leaf quantity could enhance the capacity of vegetation to convert absorbed light to photosynthate remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the spatial-temporal variations of canopy light-use

Boreal peatlands store vast amounts of soil organic carbon (C) owing to the imbalance between productivity and decay rates. In the recent decades, this carbon stock has been exposed to a warming climate. During the past decade alone, the Arctic has warmed by ∼ 0.75°C which is almost twice the rate of the global average. Although, a wide range of studies have assessed peatlands’ C cycling, our understanding

The increasing frequency of typhoon events, attributed to global climate change, has significantly affected agricultural production, predominantly resulting in substantial negative consequences. Accurate and timely assessment of crop damage is crucial for understanding economic implications, devising effective agricultural strategies, and enhancing resilience amid mounting climate uncertainties. This

One of the major challenges posed by climate change in agriculture is the alteration in cropland suitability. This alteration has serious consequences for food security and economic stability at global, regional, and local scales, especially in smallholder and rainfed agricultural systems like in Ethiopia. A comprehensive understanding of the current state of croplands and future changes under warming

Frost drought refers to the chronic or acute desiccation of trees exposed to high evaporative pressures while being rooted in cold or frozen soils. This phenomenon has been known for more than a century but is still poorly characterized. Summer desiccation manifests itself as long-term stem contractions. Similar contractions have been reported in winter. In this study, we investigated the causes of

Optimizing the nitrogen (N) fertilizer use is the key to facilitating the sustainable development of agricultural systems. In this study, a DeNitrification–DeComposition model was used to analyze the effects of N fertilization on yield, profit, and reactive N losses in single-season rice production of China. The comprehensive optimum N application rate (CONR) considering the trade-off between economy

Understanding the effects of timber harvesting on soil respiration, including its autotrophic and heterotrophic components and their temperature sensitivity, is crucial for predicting how forest management affects the carbon cycle. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess these effects on a global scale, synthesizing data from 1656 paired observations from 143 studies worldwide. On average, harvesting

Understanding the sensitivity of vegetation to climate variability, i.e., the response of vegetation greenness to climate change, is crucial for the management of vulnerable ecosystems. However, this aspect remains inadequately understood for the Tibetan Plateau (TP) with highly fragile ecosystems. By employing a satellite-based vegetation index and three climate variables (temperature, solar radiation

Spring phenology has noticeably changed with changes to diurnal temperature (daytime temperature vs. night-time temperature) and seasonal temperature (winter chilling vs. spring forcing) around the globe. However, the climate cues influencing the days of interval between budburst and leaf-out have not been studied. Here, we conducted two experiments to simulate how changes in diurnal temperature or

The fertilization effect of nitrogen (N) deposition on global productivity may be limited by water availability due to the coupling effect of N and water on ecosystem carbon cycling. However, it remains unclear whether this limitation is synchronized between above- and belowground productivity. Based on a long-term field manipulation experiment in an alpine meadow of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we

Climate change could intensify seasonal soil moisture droughts and subsequently degrade vegetation, but it can also facilitate vegetation growth with the rising temperature and CO2 concentrations. Therefore, the change of the vegetation-drought relationship under climate change remains elusive. Here, we investigate the effects of vegetation greening (i.e., increasing leaf area index (LAI)) on seasonal

Monitoring surface albedo at a fine spatial resolution in forests can enrich process understanding and benefit ecosystem modeling and climate-oriented forest management. Direct estimation of surface albedo using 10 m reflectance imagery from Sentinel-2 is a promising research avenue to this extent, although questions remain regarding the representativeness of the underlying model of surface reflectance

Extreme fire severity patterns driven by climate change have deep consequences on vegetation, subsequent fire regimes and have consequences on the effectiveness of extinction. In this work, we aimed to determine if extreme fire severity defined as the 90th percentile of RdNBR has changed in Spain in the last 3 decades, if extreme fire severity patterns have differed among the different vegetation types

Comprehending and quantifying local variability in plant phenology, alongside its impacts on tree growth, is challenging due to spatially and temporally heterogeneous environmental factors that interact to affect phenological events and periods. Although previous studies have focused on the climatic factors driving phenological events at the stand level, the influences of competition, neighborhood

The sampling volume of electromagnetic (EM) soil moisture sensors is of significant interest due to the diverse applications for which they are utilized. However, this volume can vary considerably based on multiple factors, including the number, spacing, and length of sensor rods, as well as the operational frequency. The sensor's volume of influence is dictated by electric field lines or ‘fringing

No Abstract

Leaf litter nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), as the final products reflecting the foliar nutrient status after resorption, strongly influence forest production and nutrient cycling. However, our nuanced understanding of their general patterns and controls is still lacking, and whether differential regulatory mechanisms exist between climatic zones remains largely incomplete, which introduces substantial

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is one of China's most important tree species, and possible adverse factors affecting its growth and physiology is of particular concern for climate change adaptation. In this context, growth performance (BAI: basal area increment and MAXD: maximum density), climate sensitivity, and the relative contributions of climatic and physiological determinants

Global warming is leading to more frequent and intense drought events, exerting unprecedented pressure on forest growth. Although post-drought recovery in plantation growth has been studied enormously, the variation of planted populations across the whole distribution range of a species is not well understood. In this study, the growth suitability of the most widely planted conifer species in dry lands

Vegetation phenology regulates ecosystem carbon, water, and energy fluxes, as well as biosphere-atmosphere feedbacks. Currently, vegetation indices and carbon fluxes have been incorporated in models for predicting vegetation phenology, hydrological processes have not yet been used despite significant interactions between climate, phenology, and hydrology. The evaporative fraction (EF) and Bowen ratio

Across much of Europe, climate change has caused a major dieback of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), an economically important tree species. However, the southeasternmost fringe of this tree species – the Eastern Carpathians – has not yet suffered large-scale dieback. Studying temporal shifts of climate sensitivity (TSCS) over time may elucidate the degree to which Norway spruce may be vulnerable to

Anthropogenic climate change poses a significant threat to global ecosystems, necessitating nature-based solutions to achieve net-zero emissions and mitigate climate change. Restoration of degraded ecosystems is critical for terrestrial carbon dioxide removal (TCDR), in addition to preserving biodiversity and reducing emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases. However, the quantitative estimation

Various yield forecasting methods have been reported in literature, but the benefits of assimilating seasonal climate forecasts and satellite observations for in-season yield forecasting during different growth stages have rarely been examined using machine learning. By synthesizing census yields, seasonal climate forecasts (SCF) and satellite-based gross primary production (GPP), this study develops

Leaf spectral reflectance is a crucial indicator of leaf physiology both in eco-physiology and remote sensing. To assess how alpine plants acclimate or adapt to altitudinal environments, we examined leaf optical properties at wavelengths from 280 to 1100 nm in 797 leaves of 38 broad-leaved herbaceous species along an altitudinal gradient from 3200 m to 4400 m on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Changes in the dates of autumn foliar senescence (DFS) have significant impacts on regional carbon uptake, while current approaches for the estimation of DFS are still lacking. The most important issue is that there are complicated factors that affect the DFS, among which drought effects probably have contributed the most. Using long-term DFS observations derived from the third-generation normalized

Wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem in the U.S.. It is vital to classify wildfires using a comprehensive approach that simultaneously considers wildfire activity (the number of wildfires) and burned area. On this basis, the influence of hydrometeorological variables on wildfires can be further analyzed. Therefore, this study first classified wildfire types using a wildfire bivariate probability

The FLUXNET network with numerous eddy covariance stations distributed worldwide is an important backbone for the study of ecosystem-atmosphere interactions. In order to provide reliable data for a variety of related research fields all parts of the ecosystem-atmosphere interactions need to be fully captured. Energy balance closure can be an indicator that all fluxes are fully recorded. However, in

Accurate and unbiased simulation of crop phenology under various climate conditions is a necessary feature of phenology models. Nine models were evaluated for simulating the vegetative growth period (VGP) and the reproductive growth period (RGP) of maize (Zea mays L.) under historical climate variation. Seven models were based on a constant thermal/photothermal assumption (MAIS, SIMCOY, EPIC, MCWLA

Global nitrogen (N) deposition substantially enhances ecosystem carbon cycling but usually results in minor carbon sequestration. The mechanisms underlying the minor stimulation of N deposition on carbon sequestration are not fully understood. Here, we used 22 sets of observations from a gradient N addition experiment with rates at 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, to 32 g N·m-2·year-1 in an alpine meadow ecosystem

Flash droughts and their ecological impacts on terrestrial ecosystems have recently garnered increased attention due to their rapid intensification. However, research on the response and recovery of ecosystems to flash droughts, particularly regarding different types of flash droughts and their determinants, remains relatively limited. Here we classified flash droughts into meteorological, evaporative

Accurate forecasting of forest fuel moisture is critical for decision making for bushfire risk and prescribed burning. In-situ dead fuel moisture content (DFMC) monitoring (fuelsticks) has improved significantly, along with improvements in weather forecasting and spatial representation of forest density. Machine learning (ML) models have also out-performed traditional fuel moisture estimation approaches

Climate change and extremes are increasingly threatening food security, especially in the Global South. Here, we examine how croplands and wheatlands …

In semi-arid and arid regions, crops face elevated atmospheric demands and endure prolonged periods of moderate to severe water scarcity. In this context, this study investigated the effectiveness of the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and a normalized surface temperature index (Tnorm) for proxy detection of the water stress of winter wheat crops. Furthermore, the potential of PRI for characterizing

Our understanding of water and carbon cycles and their coupling has advanced significantly over the last six decades. In this review, we will examine the progress made since the 1960s and explore how key developments in the studies of water and carbon cycles on land have influenced the way we model these two cycles from leaf to global scales. We will particularly focus on the Penman-Monteith equation

Mechanistic modelling is gradually replacing empiricism in crop models, focusing on leaf-level physiological processes. This shift necessitates simulating crop surface temperature at infra-canopy sub-daily scales but many crop models still rely on empirical formulations for canopy temperature estimation, typically on a daily basis. We developed MONTPEL, a multi-component Penman-Monteith model that