A NEW METHOD FOR
ECOSYSTEM SENSITIVITY: Global map of the Vegetation Sensitivity Index
(VSI), a new
indicator of vegetation sensitivity to climate variability using satellite
data. Red colour
shows higher
ecosystem sensitivity, whereas green indicates lower ecosystem sensitivity.
Grey areas
are barren land or
ice covered. Inland water bodies are mapped in blue. Copyright: LEFT
(February 19, 2016) By
using information gathered by satellites, a group of biologists have developed
a new method for measuring ecosystem sensitivity to climate variability.
By developing this method, the international team of
researchers has been able to map which areas are most sensitive to climate
variability across the world.
“Based on the satellite data gathered, we can identify areas
that, over the past 14 years, have shown high sensitivity to climate
variability,” says researcher Alistair Seddon at the Department of Biology at
the University of Bergen (UiB).
Seddon is first author of the paper Sensitivity of global
terrestrial ecosystems to climate variability, which has just been published in
the journal Nature.
Globe-spanning
results
The approach of the researchers has been to identify climate
drivers of vegetation productivity on monthly timescales. The researchers have
found climate sensitivity in ecosystems around the globe.
“We have found 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, forests in South
America, and eastern areas of Australia,” says Seddon.