Observed increase in local cooling effect of deforestation at higher latitudes

Xuhui Lee (), Michael L. Goulden, David Y. Hollinger, Alan Barr, T. Andrew Black, Gil Bohrer, Rosvel Bracho, Bert Drake, Allen Goldstein, Lianhong Gu, Gabriel Katul, Thomas Kolb, Beverly E. Law, Hank Margolis, Tilden Meyers, Russell Monson, William Munger, Ram Oren, Kyaw Tha Paw U, Andrew D. Richardson, Hans Peter Schmid, Ralf Staebler, Steven Wofsy and Lei Zhao
Additional contact information
Xuhui Lee: School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University
Michael L. Goulden: University of California
David Y. Hollinger: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station
Alan Barr: Environment Canada, Saskatoon, S7N 3H5, Canada
T. Andrew Black: Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
Gil Bohrer: Ohio State University
Rosvel Bracho: School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida
Bert Drake: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Allen Goldstein: Policy and Management, University of California
Lianhong Gu: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Gabriel Katul: Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Science, Duke University
Thomas Kolb: School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University
Beverly E. Law: College of Forestry, Oregon State University
Hank Margolis: Centre d’Étude de la Forêt, Faculté de Foresterie, de Géographie et de Géomatique, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
Tilden Meyers: NOAA/ARL/ATDD
Russell Monson: University of Colorado
William Munger: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Ram Oren: Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Science, Duke University
Kyaw Tha Paw U: Air and Water Resources, University of California
Andrew D. Richardson: Harvard University
Hans Peter Schmid: Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Ralf Staebler: Processes Research Section, Environment Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Steven Wofsy: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Lei Zhao: School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University

Nature, 2011, vol. 479, issue 7373, 384-387

Abstract: Cooling effect of deforestation Climate models have long suggested that the conversion of forest to grasslands or crops could create a cooling effect, through an increase in surface albedo. But so far, no study encompassing a large climate and geographical reach has demonstrated that the effect exists. Xuhui Lee and colleagues now combine temperature data from forested eddy covariance towers and nearby cleared sites and demonstrate a cooling effect approaching 1 °C northwards of 45 °N. The effect decreases with decreasing latitude and may be become positive south of 35 °N.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10588

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