Progressive forest canopy water loss during the 2012-2015 California drought

Gregory P. Asner; Philip G. Brodrick; Christopher B. Anderson; Nicholas Vaughn; David E. Knapp; Roberta E. Martin

doi:10.1073/pnas.1523397113

Progressive forest canopy water loss during the 2012-2015 California drought

Gregory P. Asner, Philip G. Brodrick, Christopher B. Anderson, Nicholas Vaughn, David E. Knapp, Roberta E. Martin

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

271 Scopus citations

Abstract

The 2012-2015 drought has left California with severely reduced snowpack, soil moisture, ground water, and reservoir stocks, but the impact of this estimated millennial-scale event on forest health is unknown. We used airborne laser-guided spectroscopy and satellite-based models to assess losses in canopy water content of California's forests between 2011 and 2015. Approximately 10.6 million ha of forest containing up to 888 million large trees experienced measurable loss in canopy water content during this drought period. Severe canopy water losses of greater than 30% occurred over 1 million ha, affecting up to 58 million large trees. Our measurements exclude forests affected by fire between 2011 and 2015. If drought conditions continue or reoccur, even with temporary reprieves such as El Niño, we predict substantial future forest change.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	E249-E255
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume	113
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1523397113
State	Published - Jan 12 2016
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Canopy water
Climate change
Drought
Forest health
Imaging spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

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10.1073/pnas.1523397113

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title = "Progressive forest canopy water loss during the 2012-2015 California drought",

abstract = "The 2012-2015 drought has left California with severely reduced snowpack, soil moisture, ground water, and reservoir stocks, but the impact of this estimated millennial-scale event on forest health is unknown. We used airborne laser-guided spectroscopy and satellite-based models to assess losses in canopy water content of California's forests between 2011 and 2015. Approximately 10.6 million ha of forest containing up to 888 million large trees experienced measurable loss in canopy water content during this drought period. Severe canopy water losses of greater than 30% occurred over 1 million ha, affecting up to 58 million large trees. Our measurements exclude forests affected by fire between 2011 and 2015. If drought conditions continue or reoccur, even with temporary reprieves such as El Ni{\~n}o, we predict substantial future forest change.",

keywords = "Canopy water, Climate change, Drought, Forest health, Imaging spectroscopy",

author = "Asner, {Gregory P.} and Brodrick, {Philip G.} and Anderson, {Christopher B.} and Nicholas Vaughn and Knapp, {David E.} and Martin, {Roberta E.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The Carnegie Airborne Observatory is currently supported by the Avatar Alliance Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Mary Anne Nyburg Baker and G. Leonard Baker Jr., and William R. Hearst III.",

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AU - Asner, Gregory P.

AU - Brodrick, Philip G.

AU - Anderson, Christopher B.

AU - Vaughn, Nicholas

AU - Knapp, David E.

AU - Martin, Roberta E.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The Carnegie Airborne Observatory is currently supported by the Avatar Alliance Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Mary Anne Nyburg Baker and G. Leonard Baker Jr., and William R. Hearst III.

PY - 2016/1/12

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N2 - The 2012-2015 drought has left California with severely reduced snowpack, soil moisture, ground water, and reservoir stocks, but the impact of this estimated millennial-scale event on forest health is unknown. We used airborne laser-guided spectroscopy and satellite-based models to assess losses in canopy water content of California's forests between 2011 and 2015. Approximately 10.6 million ha of forest containing up to 888 million large trees experienced measurable loss in canopy water content during this drought period. Severe canopy water losses of greater than 30% occurred over 1 million ha, affecting up to 58 million large trees. Our measurements exclude forests affected by fire between 2011 and 2015. If drought conditions continue or reoccur, even with temporary reprieves such as El Niño, we predict substantial future forest change.

AB - The 2012-2015 drought has left California with severely reduced snowpack, soil moisture, ground water, and reservoir stocks, but the impact of this estimated millennial-scale event on forest health is unknown. We used airborne laser-guided spectroscopy and satellite-based models to assess losses in canopy water content of California's forests between 2011 and 2015. Approximately 10.6 million ha of forest containing up to 888 million large trees experienced measurable loss in canopy water content during this drought period. Severe canopy water losses of greater than 30% occurred over 1 million ha, affecting up to 58 million large trees. Our measurements exclude forests affected by fire between 2011 and 2015. If drought conditions continue or reoccur, even with temporary reprieves such as El Niño, we predict substantial future forest change.

KW - Canopy water

KW - Climate change

KW - Drought

KW - Forest health

KW - Imaging spectroscopy

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Progressive forest canopy water loss during the 2012-2015 California drought

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Keywords

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