The Grass Is Not Always Greener on the Other Side: Seasonal Reversal of Vegetation Greenness in Aspect-Driven Semiarid Ecosystems

Kumari, N; Saco, PM; Rodriguez, JF; Johnstone, SA; Srivastava, A; Chun, KP; Yetemen, O

The Grass Is Not Always Greener on the Other Side: Seasonal Reversal of Vegetation Greenness in Aspect-Driven Semiarid Ecosystems

Kumari, N Saco, PM Rodriguez, JF Johnstone, SA Srivastava, A

Chun, KP Yetemen, O

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Publisher:: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Geophysical Research Letters, 2020, 47, (15)
Issue Date:: 2020-08-16

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kumari, N
dc.contributor.author	Saco, PM
dc.contributor.author	Rodriguez, JF
dc.contributor.author	Johnstone, SA
dc.contributor.author	Srivastava, A https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3963-265X
dc.contributor.author	Chun, KP
dc.contributor.author	Yetemen, O
dc.date.accessioned	2022-10-31T02:49:31Z
dc.date.available	2022-10-31T02:49:31Z
dc.date.issued	2020-08-16
dc.identifier.citation	Geophysical Research Letters, 2020, 47, (15)
dc.identifier.issn	0094-8276
dc.identifier.issn	1944-8007
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/163034
dc.description.abstract	Our current understanding of semiarid ecosystems is that they tend to display higher vegetation greenness on polar-facing slopes (PFS) than on equatorial-facing slopes (EFS). However, recent studies have argued that higher vegetation greenness can occur on EFS during part of the year. To assess whether this seasonal reversal of aspect-driven vegetation is a common occurrence, we conducted a global-scale analysis of vegetation greenness on a monthly time scale over an 18-year period (2000–2017). We examined the influence of climate seasonality on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values of PFS and EFS at 60 different catchments with aspect-controlled vegetation located across all continents except Antarctica. Our results show that an overwhelming majority of sites (70%) display seasonal reversal, associated with transitions from water-limited to energy-limited conditions during wet winters. These findings highlight the need to consider seasonal variations of aspect-driven vegetation patterns in ecohydrology, geomorphology, and Earth system models.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
dc.relation.ispartof	Geophysical Research Letters
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1029/2020GL088918
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
dc.title	The Grass Is Not Always Greener on the Other Side: Seasonal Reversal of Vegetation Greenness in Aspect-Driven Semiarid Ecosystems
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	47
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-10-31T02:49:26Z
pubs.issue	15
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	47
utslib.citation.issue	15

Abstract:

Our current understanding of semiarid ecosystems is that they tend to display higher vegetation greenness on polar-facing slopes (PFS) than on equatorial-facing slopes (EFS). However, recent studies have argued that higher vegetation greenness can occur on EFS during part of the year. To assess whether this seasonal reversal of aspect-driven vegetation is a common occurrence, we conducted a global-scale analysis of vegetation greenness on a monthly time scale over an 18-year period (2000–2017). We examined the influence of climate seasonality on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values of PFS and EFS at 60 different catchments with aspect-controlled vegetation located across all continents except Antarctica. Our results show that an overwhelming majority of sites (70%) display seasonal reversal, associated with transitions from water-limited to energy-limited conditions during wet winters. These findings highlight the need to consider seasonal variations of aspect-driven vegetation patterns in ecohydrology, geomorphology, and Earth system models.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/163034