Vicente‐Serrano, S. M. and Domínguez‐Castro, F. and Murphy, C. and Peña‐Angulo, D. and Tomas‐Burguera, M. and Noguera, I. and López‐Moreno, J. I. and Juez, C. and Grainger, S. and Eklundh, L. and Conradt, T. and Azorin‐Molina, C. and El Kenawy, A. (2021) Increased Vegetation in Mountainous Headwaters Amplifies Water Stress During Dry Periods. Geophysical Research Letters, 48 (18). ISSN 0094-8276

Preview

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

The dynamics of blue and green water partitioning under vegetation and climate change, as well as their different interactions during wet and dry periods, are poorly understood in the literature. We analyzed the impact of vegetation changes on blue water generation in a central Spanish Pyrenees basin undergoing intense afforestation. We found that vegetation change is a key driver of large decreases in blue water availability. The effect of vegetation increase is amplified during dry years, and mainly during the dry season, with streamflow reductions of more than 50%. This pattern can be attributed primarily to increased plant water consumption. Our findings highlight the importance of vegetation changes in reinforcing the decrease in water resource availability. With aridity expected to rise in southern Europe over the next few decades, interactions between climate and land management practices appear to be amplifying future hydrological drought risk in the region.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Cite as: Vicente-Serrano, S. M., Domínguez-Castro, F., Murphy, C., Peña-Angulo, D., Tomas-Burguera, M., Noguera, I., et al. (2021). Increased vegetation in mountainous headwaters amplifies water stress during dry periods. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL094672. https://doi-org.may.idm.oclc.org/10.1029/2021GL094672
Keywords:	Forest secondary succession is the main driver of streamflow trends in mountain Mediterranean areas; The effects of vegetation changes on water availability strongly differ between dry and humid periods; Trends in streamflow in response to vegetation changes are mostly recorded during the dry and warm season;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS
Item ID:	17719
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL094672
Depositing User:	Conor Murphy
Date Deposited:	19 Oct 2023 08:07
Journal or Publication Title:	Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher:	AGU
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads