Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The Earth System
- Part II Global Physical Climatology
- Part III Soil Processes
- Part IV Hydrometeorology
- Part V Biometeorology
- Part VI Terrestrial Plant Ecology
- Part VII Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks
- 25 Land surface processes in climate models
- 26 Seasonal-to-interannual variability
- 27 Land use and land-cover change
- 28 Coupled climate–vegetation dynamics
- 29 Carbon cycle–climate feedbacks
- 30 Urbanization
- Index
- Plate section
- References
27 - Land use and land-cover change
from Part VII - Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The Earth System
- Part II Global Physical Climatology
- Part III Soil Processes
- Part IV Hydrometeorology
- Part V Biometeorology
- Part VI Terrestrial Plant Ecology
- Part VII Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks
- 25 Land surface processes in climate models
- 26 Seasonal-to-interannual variability
- 27 Land use and land-cover change
- 28 Coupled climate–vegetation dynamics
- 29 Carbon cycle–climate feedbacks
- 30 Urbanization
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Chapter summary
The change in land cover from human uses of land is an important forcing of climate. The conversion of natural vegetation to agricultural land, through the effects on net radiation, the partitioning of this energy into sensible and latent heat, and the partitioning of precipitation into soil water, evapotranspiration, and runoff, can alter climate. Among the surface characteristics altered by land-cover change are albedo, surface roughness, leaf area index, stomatal conductance, root depth, and soil texture and structure. Land degradation in arid and semi-arid climates increases surface albedo, reduces evapotranspiration, and may contribute to low rainfall in these regions. Extensive deforestation and land clearing have altered the climate of vast regions of Australia. The clearing of tropical forests for agriculture creates a warmer, drier climate. The clearing of temperate forests and grasslands to cultivate crops is generally thought to cool climate, primarily because of higher albedo. However, the climate signal associated with crops is complicated and related to the timing of crop planting, growth, and harvesting relative to the phenology of natural vegetation. Irrigation leads to a cooler, moister climate. The influence of historical land-cover change on climate needs to be considered as a climate forcing in addition to traditional forcings such as greenhouse gases, aerosols, solar variability, and ozone. Future projected land-cover changes due to human land uses are also likely to alter climate.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Ecological ClimatologyConcepts and Applications, pp. 432 - 469Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
References
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