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Variations of winter surface net shortwave radiation caused by land-use change in northern Hokkaido, Japan

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Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

To evaluate changes in surface albedo and net shortwave radiation caused by land-use changes, we developed a simple model using the MicroMet/SnowModel. Simulated results were compared with plot-scale observations and verified with reasonable agreement, following which we simulated surface albedo and net shortwave radiation over a large domain (0.5° × 0.5°, 100-m resolution). We found that the histogram of spatial distribution of net shortwave radiation could assume a Gaussian distribution in the case of uniform land use, despite complex topography. However, complex land use within the domain caused two histogram peaks with large standard deviation, meaning that a Gaussian distribution could not be assumed. For such complex land use, the spatial distribution of net shortwave radiation was determined by surface albedo, which was found to be strongly related to land use. For natural forest cover within the domain, the spatial distribution of net shortwave radiation was found to be related to slope azimuth angle, but surface albedo had only minor effect. For regenerated forest, net shortwave radiation was influenced by surface albedo rather than slope azimuth angle. Simulated results for bare ground within the domain were related to surface albedo and altitude, because higher altitudes had longer periods of snow cover and much greater snow accumulation. Overall, land-use changes were more important than orographic effects in the evaluation of net shortwave radiation.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), a Challenging Exploratory Research Grant (Research Project Number 25550048), and the GRENE Arctic Climate Change Research Project: The role of Arctic Cryosphere in global change (PI: Prof. H. Enomoto). We acknowledge the valuable comments from the two anonymous reviewers and logistical support for field observation from the Northern Biosphere Field Center of Hokkaido University. Additionally, the study was performed as a Joint Research Program of the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University.

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Correspondence to Kazuyoshi Suzuki.

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Suzuki, K., Liston, G.E. & Kodama, Y. Variations of winter surface net shortwave radiation caused by land-use change in northern Hokkaido, Japan. J For Res 20, 281–292 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-015-0478-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-015-0478-1

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