Widespread shift from ecosystem energy to water limitation with climate change

Abstract Terrestrial ecosystems are essential for food and water security and CO 2 uptake. Ecosystem function is dependent on the availability of soil moisture, yet it is unclear how climate change will alter soil moisture limitation on vegetation. Here we use an ecosystem index that distinguishes energy and water limitations in Earth system model simulations to show a widespread regime shift from energy to water limitation between 1980 and 2100. This shift is found in both space and time. While this is mainly related to a reduction in energy-limited regions associated with increasing incoming shortwave radiation, the largest shift towards water limitation is found in regions where incoming shortwave radiation…

• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Award: 391059971
• M
  Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
• AR
  Australian Research Council

  Award: CE170100023