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Thermodynamic driving mechanisms for the formation of global precipitation extremes and ecohydrological effects

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Abstract

Global warming has altered the thermodynamic and dynamic environments of climate systems, affecting the biogeochemical processes between the geosphere and atmosphere, which has significant impacts on precipitation extremes and the terrestrial carbon budget of ecosystems. Existing studies have reported a hook structure for precipitation extreme-temperature relationships but have rarely examined the underlying physical mechanisms. Previous studies have also failed to quantify the impact of precipitation on ecosystem productivity, hindering the assessment of future extreme climatic hazards and potential ecosystem risks. To reveal the thermodynamic driving mechanisms for the formation of global precipitation extremes and ecohydrological effects, this study utilizes over ten multisource datasets (i.e., satellite, reanalysis, climate model, land surface model, machine learning reconstruction, and flux tower measurements). We first assess the response of water-heat-carbon flux to precipitation extremes and explain the underlying physical mechanisms behind the hook structures in terms of atmospheric thermodynamics and dynamics. Based on outputs from five global climate models (GCMs) under ISIMIP3b, we project future changes in the hook structures as well as their impacts on precipitation extremes. Finally, we discuss the impact of precipitation on the terrestrial carbon budget by using outputs from the CLM4.5 model. The results show that precipitation extremes are usually accompanied by strong exchanges of water and heat and demonstrate a nonlinear relationship between precipitation and ecosystem productivity. The intensity (duration) of extreme precipitation is intensifying (decreasing) over most areas of the globe, whereas three-dimensional precipitation events are becoming more concentrated. Atmospheric dynamics play a key role in shaping the hook structure. The structure is not stable; it shifts under climate change and is projected to result in a 10–10% intensification in precipitation by the end of this century. Moderate levels of precipitation contribute to carbon assimilation in ecosystems, and the response of the carbon budget to precipitation is relatively stable under climate change.

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Acknowledgements

The numerical calculations in this paper have been done on the supercomputing system in the Supercomputing Center of Wuhan University. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52009091) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2042022kf1221).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Jiabo Yin, Shenglian Guo, Jun Wang, Jie Chen, Quan Zhang, Jing Tian & Lihua Xiong

  2. School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Lei Gu

  3. Key Laboratory of Surveying and Mapping Science and Geospatial Information Technology of MNR, Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping, Beijing, 100830, China

    Yan Yang

  4. College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Yao Zhang

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  1. Jiabo Yin
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  2. Shenglian Guo
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  3. Jun Wang
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  10. Yao Zhang
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Correspondence to Shenglian Guo.

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Yin, J., Guo, S., Wang, J. et al. Thermodynamic driving mechanisms for the formation of global precipitation extremes and ecohydrological effects. Sci. China Earth Sci. 66, 92–110 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-022-9987-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-022-9987-0

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