Global ecosystem thresholds driven by aridity

Abstract

Thresholds of aridity Increasing aridity due to climate change is expected to affect multiple ecosystem structural and functional attributes in global drylands, which cover ∼45% of the terrestrial globe. Berdugo et al. show that increasing aridity promotes thresholds on the structure and functioning of drylands (see the Perspective by Hirota and Oliveira). Their database includes 20 variables summarizing multiple aspects and levels of ecological organization. They found evidence for a series of abrupt ecological events occurring sequentially in three phases, culminating with a shift to low-cover ecosystems that are nutrient- and species-poor at high aridity values. They estimate that more than 20% of land surface will cross at least one of the thresholds by 2100, which can potentially lead to widespread land degradation and desertification worldwide. Science , this issue p. 787 ; see also p. 739

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Affiliated Institutions

• VetAgro Sup FR
• Freie Universität Berlin DE
• Universidad Pablo de Olavide ES
• Institut de Biologia Evolutiva ES
• Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth CN
• National University of Luján AR
• Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research DE
• Henan University of Technology CN
• Santa Fe Institute US
• Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement FR
• Swansea University GB
• University of Bern CH
• Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas AR
• Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières CA
• University of Alicante ES
• Universidad Rey Juan Carlos ES

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