Sensitivity of global terrestrial ecosystems to climate variability: data and R code

Alternative title:: 2000-2013 monthly time-series of 5km resolution MODIS-derived enhanced vegetation index, air temperature, water availability, cloud cover, supplementary files and R code

Documentation:: Data and coding scripts for Seddon et al. (2016) Nature (DOI 10.1038/nature16986). We derived monthly time-series of four key terrestrial ecosystem variables at 0.05 degree (~5km) resolution from observations by the MODIS sensor on Terra (AM) for the period February 2010-December 2013 inclusive, and developed a method to identify vegetation sensitivity to climate variability over this period (see Methods in main paper). This ORA item contains all data and files required to run the analysi...
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APA Style

Sensitivity of global terrestrial ecosystems to climate variability: data and R code. (2016). University of Oxford.

MLA Style

Sensitivity of Global Terrestrial Ecosystems to Climate Variability: Data and R Code. University of Oxford, 2016.

Chicago Style

Sensitivity of Global Terrestrial Ecosystems to Climate Variability: Data and R Code. 2016. University of Oxford.
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Files:: aetpet.zip

(zip, 2.6GB, Terms of use)

cld.zip

(zip, 2.3GB, Terms of use)

evi.zip

(zip, 2.0GB, Terms of use)

numpxl.zip

(zip, 486.5MB, Terms of use)

stdev.zip

(zip, 1.8GB, Terms of use)

supporting_files.zip

(zip, 29.7MB, Terms of use)

temp.zip

(zip, 918.7MB, Terms of use)

Authors

Contributors

+ Awr, S

Department:: University of Bergen
Role:: Researcher

+ Macias, M

Department:: University of Oxford
Role:: Researcher

+ Pr, L

Department:: University of Oxford
Role:: Researcher

+ Benz, D

Department:: University of Oxford
Role:: Researcher

+ Kj, W

Department:: University of Oxford
Role:: Researcher

+ Natural Environment Research Council More from this funder

Grant:: Independent Research Fellowship NE/L011859/1 (MMF

+ Oxford Martin School More from this funder

Grant:: Fellowship (PRL

+ European Commission More from this funder

Grant:: LIFE12 ENV/UK/000473 (KJW, DB, PRL

+ Statoil ASA More from this funder

Grant:: 4501995279 (KJW, AWRS, PRL, DB

Publisher:: University of Oxford
Publication date:: 2016
Spatial coverage:: Global (-180 - 180), (-60 - 90)
DOI:: 10.5287/bodleian:VY2PeyGX4
Temporal coverage:: 2000 - 2013

Language:: English
Pubs id:: 1480954
UUID:: uuid:896bf37f-a56b-4bc0-9595-8c9201161973
Local pid:: pubs:1480954
Deposit date:: 2016-01-30
ARK identifier:: ark:/29072/ora_896bf37fa56b4bc095958c9201161973

Related item:: Sensitivity of global terrestrial ecosystems to climate variability (ORA)
Description:: ABSTRACT: Identification of properties that contribute to the persistence and resilience of ecosystems despite climate change constitutes a research priority of global significance. Here, we present a novel, empirical approach to assess the relative sensitivity of ecosystems to climate variability, one property of resilience that builds on theoretical modelling work recognising that systems closer to critical thresholds respond more sensitively to external perturbations. We develop a new metric, the Vegetation Sensitivity Index (VSI) which identifies areas sensitive to climate variability over the past 14 years. The metric uses time-series data of MODIS derived Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and three climatic variables that drive vegetation productivity (air temperature, water availability and cloudiness). Underlying the analysis is an autoregressive modelling approach used to identify regions with memory effects and reduced response rates to external forcing. We find ecologically sensitive regions with amplified responses to climate variability in the arctic tundra, parts of the boreal forest belt, the tropical rainforest, alpine regions worldwide, steppe and prairie regions of central Asia and North and South America, the Caatinga deciduous forest in eastern South America, and eastern areas of Australia. Our study provides a quantitative methodology for assessing the relative response rate of ecosystems – be they natural or with a strong anthropogenic signature – to environmental variability, which is the first step to address why some regions appear to be more sensitive than others and what impact this has upon the resilience of ecosystem service provision and human wellbeing.
Related item:: Sensitivity of global terrestrial ecosystems to climate variability
Description:: ABSTRACT: Identification of properties that contribute to the persistence and resilience of ecosystems despite climate change constitutes a research priority of global significance. Here, we present a novel, empirical approach to assess the relative sensitivity of ecosystems to climate variability, one property of resilience that builds on theoretical modelling work recognising that systems closer to critical thresholds respond more sensitively to external perturbations. We develop a new metric, the Vegetation Sensitivity Index (VSI) which identifies areas sensitive to climate variability over the past 14 years. The metric uses time-series data of MODIS derived Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and three climatic variables that drive vegetation productivity (air temperature, water availability and cloudiness). Underlying the analysis is an autoregressive modelling approach used to identify regions with memory effects and reduced response rates to external forcing. We find ecologically sensitive regions with amplified responses to climate variability in the arctic tundra, parts of the boreal forest belt, the tropical rainforest, alpine regions worldwide, steppe and prairie regions of central Asia and North and South America, the Caatinga deciduous forest in eastern South America, and eastern areas of Australia. Our study provides a quantitative methodology for assessing the relative response rate of ecosystems – be they natural or with a strong anthropogenic signature – to environmental variability, which is the first step to address why some regions appear to be more sensitive than others and what impact this has upon the resilience of ecosystem service provision and human wellbeing.

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