Case study for the assessment of the biogeophysical effects of a potential afforestation in Europe

Galos, B., Hagemann, S., Haensler, A., Kindermann, G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4297-1318, Rechid, D., Sieck, K., Teichmann, C., & Jacob, D. (2013). Case study for the assessment of the biogeophysical effects of a potential afforestation in Europe. Carbon Balance and Management 8 (1) 10.1186/1750-0680-8-3.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: A regional-scale sensitivity study has been carried out to investigate the climatic effects of forest cover change in Europe. Applying REMO (regional climate model of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology), the projected temperature and precipitation tendencies have been analysed for summer, based on the results of the A2 IPCC-SRES emission scenario simulation. For the end of the 21st century it has been studied, whether the assumed forest cover increase could reduce the effects of the greenhouse gas concentration change.

RESULTS: Based on the simulation results, biogeophysical effects of the hypothetic potential afforestation may lead to cooler and moister conditions during summer in most parts of the temperate zone. The largest relative effects of forest cover increase can be expected in northern Germany, Poland and Ukraine, which is 15-20% of the climate change signal for temperature and more than 50% for precipitation. In northern Germany and France, potential afforestation may enhance the effects of emission change, resulting in more severe heavy precipitation events. The probability of dry days and warm temperature extremes would decrease.

CONCLUSIONS: Large contiguous forest blocks can have distinctive biogeophysical effect on the climate on regional and local scale. In certain regions of the temperate zone, climate change signal due to greenhouse gas emission can be reduced by afforestation due to the dominant evaporative cooling effect during summer. Results of this case study with a hypothetical land cover change can contribute to the assessment of the role of forests in adapting to climate change. Thus they can build an important basis of the future forest policy.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Afforestation; Biogeophysical feedbacks; Climatic extremes; Land cover change; Regional climate modelling
Research Programs:	Ecosystems Services and Management (ESM)
Bibliographic Reference:	Carbon Balance and Management; 8(1):3 (1 February 2013)
Depositing User:	IIASA Import
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2016 08:48
Last Modified:	27 Aug 2021 17:23
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/10377

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