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Title: Warming‐Induced Earlier Greenup Leads to Reduced Stream Discharge in a Temperate Mixed Forest Catchment

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JG004438· OSTI ID:1457838
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5]; ORCiD logo [6]
  1. Department of Geography Indiana University Bloomington IN USA, Department of Earth and Environment Boston University Boston MA USA, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Yonsei University Seoul South Korea
  2. Department of Geography Indiana University Bloomington IN USA
  3. USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Beltsville MD USA
  4. School for the Environment, College of Science and Mathematics University of Massachusetts Boston Boston MA USA
  5. Harvard Forest Harvard University Petersham MA USA
  6. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USA

Abstract The phenological response of vegetation to ongoing climate change may have great implications for hydrological regimes in the eastern United States. However, there have been few studies that analyze its resultant effect on catchment discharge dynamics, separating from dominant climatic controls. In this study, we examined the net effect of phenological variations on the long‐term and interannual gross primary production (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) fluxes in a temperate deciduous forest, as well as on the catchment discharge behavior in a mixed deciduous‐conifer forest catchment. First, we calibrated the spring and autumn leaf phenology models for the Harvard Forest in the northeastern United States, where the onsets of greenup and senescence have been significantly advanced and delayed, 10.3 and 6.0 days respectively, over the past two decades (1992–2011). We then integrated the phenology models into a mechanistic watershed ecohydrological model (RHESSys), which improved the interannual and long‐term simulations of both the plot‐scale daily GPP and ET fluxes and the catchment discharge dynamics. We found that the phenological changes amplified the long‐term increases in GPP and ET driven by the climatic controls. In particular, the earlier greenup onsets resulted in increases in annual ET significantly, while the delayed senescence onsets had less influence. Consequently, the earlier greenup onsets reduced stream discharge not only during the growing season but also during the following dormant season due to soil water depletion. This study highlights the importance of understanding vegetation response to ongoing climate change in order to predict the future hydrological nonstationarity in this region.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1457838
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1457839
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences Vol. 123 Journal Issue: 6; ISSN 2169-8953
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 35 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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