Satellite data reveals declining resilience in tropical, arid, and temperate forests
In short: Researchers using machine learning and satellite imagery to track vegetation found that many forest ecosystems are losing their ability to recover from disturbances. Between 2000 and 2020, tropical, arid, and temperate forests showed a significant decline in resilience, likely due to rising climate variability and water shortages.
The study analyzed global vegetation indices to identify indicators of 'critical slowing down,' a sign that an ecosystem is approaching a tipping point. While boreal forests showed some increasing resilience due to warming and CO2 fertilization, roughly 23% of undisturbed forests have already hit a critical threshold, leading to further degradation.
Why it matters: The loss of forest resilience signals a widespread vulnerability to climate change that must be considered in global mitigation strategies.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Forzieri et al. (2022). Emerging signals of declining forest resilience under climate change. Nature. · cc-by
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