Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world

José M. Grünzweig; Hans J. De Boeck; Ana Rey; Maria J. Santos; Ori Adam; Michael Bahn; Jayne Belnap; Gaby Deckmyn; Stefan C. Dekker; Omar Flores; Daniel Gliksman; David Helman; Kevin R. Hultine; Lingli Liu; Ehud Meron; Yaron Michael; Efrat Sheffer; Heather L. Throop; Omer Tzuk; Dan Yakir

doi:10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y

Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world

José M. Grünzweig^*, Hans J. De Boeck, Ana Rey, Maria J. Santos, Ori Adam, Michael Bahn, Jayne Belnap, Gaby Deckmyn, Stefan C. Dekker, Omar Flores, Daniel Gliksman, David Helman, Kevin R. Hultine, Lingli Liu, Ehud Meron, Yaron Michael, Efrat Sheffer, Heather L. Throop, Omer Tzuk, Dan Yakir

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Responses of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change have been explored in many regions worldwide. While continued drying and warming may alter process rates and deteriorate the state and performance of ecosystems, it could also lead to more fundamental changes in the mechanisms governing ecosystem functioning. Here we argue that climate change will induce unprecedented shifts in these mechanisms in historically wetter climatic zones, towards mechanisms currently prevalent in dry regions, which we refer to as ‘dryland mechanisms’. We discuss 12 dryland mechanisms affecting multiple processes of ecosystem functioning, including vegetation development, water flow, energy budget, carbon and nutrient cycling, plant production and organic matter decomposition. We then examine mostly rare examples of the operation of these mechanisms in non-dryland regions where they have been considered irrelevant at present. Current and future climate trends could force microclimatic conditions across thresholds and lead to the emergence of dryland mechanisms and their increasing control over ecosystem functioning in many biomes on Earth.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1064-1076
Number of pages	13
Journal	Nature Ecology and Evolution
Volume	6
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y
Publication status	Published - Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank S. Feng and Q. Fu for sharing their P/PET data, T. Chapin and C. Körner for critically reviewing the paper, and L. Bigio and N. Kasher for assistance with and creation of the figures. This article profited greatly from discussions with I. Janssens, I. Nijs, S. Vicca, Y. Mau and R. Wallach. The basic idea for this Perspective was developed during a symposium at the 13 European Ecological Federation conference and was further developed as part of the ClimMani COST Action ES1308 activities. The support of the Israel Science Foundation is acknowledged by J.M.G. (grant number 1796/19), O.A. (1185/17) and E.M. (1053/17). M.B. acknowledges funding through the ÖAW-ESS project ClimGrassHydro (Austrian Academy of Sciences). th

Funding Information:
We thank S. Feng and Q. Fu for sharing their P /PET data, T. Chapin and C. Körner for critically reviewing the paper, and L. Bigio and N. Kasher for assistance with and creation of the figures. This article profited greatly from discussions with I. Janssens, I. Nijs, S. Vicca, Y. Mau and R. Wallach. The basic idea for this Perspective was developed during a symposium at the 13thEuropean Ecological Federation conference and was further developed as part of the ClimMani COST Action ES1308 activities. The support of the Israel Science Foundation is acknowledged by J.M.G. (grant number 1796/19), O.A. (1185/17) and E.M. (1053/17). M.B. acknowledges funding through the ÖAW-ESS project ClimGrassHydro (Austrian Academy of Sciences).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Springer Nature Limited.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y

s41559-022-01779-yFinal published version, 3.34 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

Grünzweig, J. M., Boeck, H. J. D., Rey, A., Santos, M. J., Adam, O., Bahn, M., Belnap, J., Deckmyn, G., Dekker, S. C., Flores, O., Gliksman, D., Helman, D., Hultine, K. R., Liu, L., Meron, E., Michael, Y., Sheffer, E., Throop, H. L., Tzuk, O., & Yakir, D. (2022). Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 6(8), 1064-1076. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y

@article{d330c2435c474b50913fc6c89a4fcf3a,

title = "Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world",

abstract = "Responses of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change have been explored in many regions worldwide. While continued drying and warming may alter process rates and deteriorate the state and performance of ecosystems, it could also lead to more fundamental changes in the mechanisms governing ecosystem functioning. Here we argue that climate change will induce unprecedented shifts in these mechanisms in historically wetter climatic zones, towards mechanisms currently prevalent in dry regions, which we refer to as {\textquoteleft}dryland mechanisms{\textquoteright}. We discuss 12 dryland mechanisms affecting multiple processes of ecosystem functioning, including vegetation development, water flow, energy budget, carbon and nutrient cycling, plant production and organic matter decomposition. We then examine mostly rare examples of the operation of these mechanisms in non-dryland regions where they have been considered irrelevant at present. Current and future climate trends could force microclimatic conditions across thresholds and lead to the emergence of dryland mechanisms and their increasing control over ecosystem functioning in many biomes on Earth.",

author = "Gr{\"u}nzweig, {Jos{\'e} M.} and Boeck, {Hans J. De} and Ana Rey and Santos, {Maria J.} and Ori Adam and Michael Bahn and Jayne Belnap and Gaby Deckmyn and Dekker, {Stefan C.} and Omar Flores and Daniel Gliksman and David Helman and Hultine, {Kevin R.} and Lingli Liu and Ehud Meron and Yaron Michael and Efrat Sheffer and Throop, {Heather L.} and Omer Tzuk and Dan Yakir",

note = "Funding Information: We thank S. Feng and Q. Fu for sharing their P/PET data, T. Chapin and C. K{\"o}rner for critically reviewing the paper, and L. Bigio and N. Kasher for assistance with and creation of the figures. This article profited greatly from discussions with I. Janssens, I. Nijs, S. Vicca, Y. Mau and R. Wallach. The basic idea for this Perspective was developed during a symposium at the 13 European Ecological Federation conference and was further developed as part of the ClimMani COST Action ES1308 activities. The support of the Israel Science Foundation is acknowledged by J.M.G. (grant number 1796/19), O.A. (1185/17) and E.M. (1053/17). M.B. acknowledges funding through the {\"O}AW-ESS project ClimGrassHydro (Austrian Academy of Sciences). th Funding Information: We thank S. Feng and Q. Fu for sharing their P /PET data, T. Chapin and C. K{\"o}rner for critically reviewing the paper, and L. Bigio and N. Kasher for assistance with and creation of the figures. This article profited greatly from discussions with I. Janssens, I. Nijs, S. Vicca, Y. Mau and R. Wallach. The basic idea for this Perspective was developed during a symposium at the 13thEuropean Ecological Federation conference and was further developed as part of the ClimMani COST Action ES1308 activities. The support of the Israel Science Foundation is acknowledged by J.M.G. (grant number 1796/19), O.A. (1185/17) and E.M. (1053/17). M.B. acknowledges funding through the {\"O}AW-ESS project ClimGrassHydro (Austrian Academy of Sciences). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, Springer Nature Limited.",

year = "2022",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

pages = "1064--1076",

journal = "Nature Ecology and Evolution",

issn = "2397-334X",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "8",

}

Grünzweig, JM, Boeck, HJD, Rey, A, Santos, MJ, Adam, O, Bahn, M, Belnap, J, Deckmyn, G, Dekker, SC, Flores, O, Gliksman, D, Helman, D, Hultine, KR, Liu, L, Meron, E, Michael, Y, Sheffer, E, Throop, HL, Tzuk, O & Yakir, D 2022, 'Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world', Nature Ecology and Evolution, vol. 6, no. 8, pp. 1064-1076. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world

AU - Grünzweig, José M.

AU - Boeck, Hans J. De

AU - Rey, Ana

AU - Santos, Maria J.

AU - Adam, Ori

AU - Bahn, Michael

AU - Belnap, Jayne

AU - Deckmyn, Gaby

AU - Dekker, Stefan C.

AU - Flores, Omar

AU - Gliksman, Daniel

AU - Helman, David

AU - Hultine, Kevin R.

AU - Liu, Lingli

AU - Meron, Ehud

AU - Michael, Yaron

AU - Sheffer, Efrat

AU - Throop, Heather L.

AU - Tzuk, Omer

AU - Yakir, Dan

N1 - Funding Information: We thank S. Feng and Q. Fu for sharing their P/PET data, T. Chapin and C. Körner for critically reviewing the paper, and L. Bigio and N. Kasher for assistance with and creation of the figures. This article profited greatly from discussions with I. Janssens, I. Nijs, S. Vicca, Y. Mau and R. Wallach. The basic idea for this Perspective was developed during a symposium at the 13 European Ecological Federation conference and was further developed as part of the ClimMani COST Action ES1308 activities. The support of the Israel Science Foundation is acknowledged by J.M.G. (grant number 1796/19), O.A. (1185/17) and E.M. (1053/17). M.B. acknowledges funding through the ÖAW-ESS project ClimGrassHydro (Austrian Academy of Sciences). th Funding Information: We thank S. Feng and Q. Fu for sharing their P /PET data, T. Chapin and C. Körner for critically reviewing the paper, and L. Bigio and N. Kasher for assistance with and creation of the figures. This article profited greatly from discussions with I. Janssens, I. Nijs, S. Vicca, Y. Mau and R. Wallach. The basic idea for this Perspective was developed during a symposium at the 13thEuropean Ecological Federation conference and was further developed as part of the ClimMani COST Action ES1308 activities. The support of the Israel Science Foundation is acknowledged by J.M.G. (grant number 1796/19), O.A. (1185/17) and E.M. (1053/17). M.B. acknowledges funding through the ÖAW-ESS project ClimGrassHydro (Austrian Academy of Sciences). Publisher Copyright: © 2022, Springer Nature Limited.

PY - 2022/8

Y1 - 2022/8

N2 - Responses of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change have been explored in many regions worldwide. While continued drying and warming may alter process rates and deteriorate the state and performance of ecosystems, it could also lead to more fundamental changes in the mechanisms governing ecosystem functioning. Here we argue that climate change will induce unprecedented shifts in these mechanisms in historically wetter climatic zones, towards mechanisms currently prevalent in dry regions, which we refer to as ‘dryland mechanisms’. We discuss 12 dryland mechanisms affecting multiple processes of ecosystem functioning, including vegetation development, water flow, energy budget, carbon and nutrient cycling, plant production and organic matter decomposition. We then examine mostly rare examples of the operation of these mechanisms in non-dryland regions where they have been considered irrelevant at present. Current and future climate trends could force microclimatic conditions across thresholds and lead to the emergence of dryland mechanisms and their increasing control over ecosystem functioning in many biomes on Earth.

AB - Responses of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change have been explored in many regions worldwide. While continued drying and warming may alter process rates and deteriorate the state and performance of ecosystems, it could also lead to more fundamental changes in the mechanisms governing ecosystem functioning. Here we argue that climate change will induce unprecedented shifts in these mechanisms in historically wetter climatic zones, towards mechanisms currently prevalent in dry regions, which we refer to as ‘dryland mechanisms’. We discuss 12 dryland mechanisms affecting multiple processes of ecosystem functioning, including vegetation development, water flow, energy budget, carbon and nutrient cycling, plant production and organic matter decomposition. We then examine mostly rare examples of the operation of these mechanisms in non-dryland regions where they have been considered irrelevant at present. Current and future climate trends could force microclimatic conditions across thresholds and lead to the emergence of dryland mechanisms and their increasing control over ecosystem functioning in many biomes on Earth.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132391239&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y

DO - 10.1038/s41559-022-01779-y

M3 - Article

SN - 2397-334X

VL - 6

SP - 1064

EP - 1076

JO - Nature Ecology and Evolution

JF - Nature Ecology and Evolution

IS - 8

ER -

Dryland mechanisms could widely control ecosystem functioning in a drier and warmer world

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this