Global mountain snow cover shows uneven decline amid rising temperatures
A new analysis of mountain snow cover using ERA5-land data reveals a complex pattern of snow decline across global mountain regions, with a notable 7.79% decrease in persistent snow cover over the last 44 years. While global mountain regions have warmed at an average rate of 1.19°C from 1979 to 2022, the study found that the decline in snow cover does not uniformly follow this warming rate. Instead, each region responds differently, highlighting the diverse ways climate change impacts high-altitude snow dynamics. These findings underscore the urgency for adaptive management strategies in vulnerable mountain ecosystems. The research has been published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science.
Journal Reference:
Blau, M.T., Kad, P., Turton, J.V. et al. ‘Uneven global retreat of persistent mountain snow cover alongside mountain warming from ERA5-land’, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science 7, 278 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41612-024-00829-5
Alpine caves in Europe experience warming trends, threatening ice preservation
Recent measurements from caves in the European Alps demonstrate that air temperatures within these cave environments have warmed by approximately 0.2°C per decade between 2000 and 2020. This warming, while half the rate observed externally, affects the caves’ subsurface ecosystems and endangers perennial ice preservation. Specifically, ice in an Austrian cave shows accelerated melting due to this trend, and researchers anticipate complete ice loss within the next decade if warming persists. This study, published in Scientific Reports, offers a rare perspective on the sensitivity of alpine caves to surface climate dynamics and warns of significant ecological impacts within these unique environments.
Journal Reference:
Obleitner, F., Trüssel, M. & Spötl, C., ‘Climate warming detected in caves of the European Alps’, Scientific Reports 14, 27435 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-78658-y
China’s carbon balance boosted by ecological restoration policies
China’s land sector shifted from a potential carbon source to a significant carbon sink, thanks to policies focused on ecological restoration, according to new research published in Nature Communications. Modeling results show that without policy interventions, China’s land would have emitted 0.11 Pg C per year from 2001 to 2020. However, the country’s land now absorbs 175.9 Tg C annually, with 72.7% of this shift attributable to land management practices, including afforestation, reforestation, and reduced wood extraction. These findings highlight the role of intentional land management in achieving climate mitigation goals.
Journal Reference:
Yue, C., Xu, M., Ciais, P. et al. ‘Contributions of ecological restoration policies to China’s land carbon balance’, Nature Communications 15, 9708 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54100-9
Machine learning model maps dimethylsulfide variability in the Mediterranean
Using Gaussian Process Regression (GPR), researchers have produced a high-resolution model of dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentrations across the Mediterranean Sea, marking a breakthrough in understanding mesoscale variations in this region’s natural sulfur cycle. Based on satellite data and in-situ observations from 1998 to 2020, this model improves the accuracy of seasonal DMS emissions, which contribute to atmospheric sulfur levels. Published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, the study’s findings offer a more precise representation of DMS fluxes, a critical component in climate-related atmospheric chemistry.
Journal Reference: Mansour, K., Decesari, S., Paglione, M. et al. ‘Nested cross-validation Gaussian process to model dimethylsulfide mesoscale variations in warm oligotrophic Mediterranean seawater’, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science 7, 277 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41612-024-00830-y
Kunming’s urban landscape changes linked to rising heat island effect
A panel data model examining landscape changes in Kunming, China, reveals a substantial influence of urban expansion on the intensifying urban heat island (UHI) effect from 1995 to 2020. The study identifies increased artificial surfaces and decreasing natural land as primary drivers of the UHI, with the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) showing a notable cooling impact. These results, published in Scientific Reports, highlight the critical role of landscape configuration in moderating urban temperature patterns and introduce panel data models as a new tool for urban heat studies.
Journal Reference:
Chen, T., Ren, Z., Fu, Y. et al., ‘Correlation analysis of landscape patterns and urban thermal environment in Kunming based on a panel data model’, Scientific Reports 14, 27375 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-78118-7
Other climate articles published this week
Soft matter mechanics of baseball’s Rubbing Mud (S. Pradeep, X. Chen, A. Seiphoori, D.R. Vann, P.E. Arratia, D.J. Jerolmack, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2413514121)
Opportunities for carbon sequestration from removing or intensifying pasture-based beef production (M.N. Hayek, J. Piipponen, M. Kummu, K. Resare Sahlin, S.C. McClelland, K. Carlson, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405758121)
A scaling law for predicting urban trees canopy cooling efficiency (J. Wang, W. Zhou, S.T.A. Pickett, Y. Qian, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401210121)
Weather deviations linked to undocumented migration and return between Mexico and the United States (J.L. Zhu, N. Chau, A.D. Rodewald, F. Garip, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400524121)
Extremely rapid, yet noncatastrophic, preservation of the flattened-feathered and 3D dinosaurs of the Early Cretaceous of China (S.A. MacLennan, J. Sha, P.E. Olsen, S.T. Kinney, C. Chang, Y. Fang, J. Liu, B.B. Slibeck, E. Chen, B. Schoene, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322875121)
Forecasting Africa’s fertility decline by female education groups (S. Adhikari, W. Lutz, E. Kebede, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320247121)
Lithium isotope evidence for a plumeworld ocean in the aftermath of the Marinoan snowball Earth (T. Gan, M. Tian, X. Wang, S. Wang, X. Liu, G. Jiang, B. C. Gill, M. Nolan, A.J. Kaufman, T. Luo, S. Xiao, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2407419121)
Latitudinal patterns in ocean C:N:P reflect phytoplankton acclimation and macromolecular composition (J.D. Liefer, A.E. White, Z.V. Finkel, A.J. Irwin, M. Dugenne, K. Inomura, F. Ribalet, E.V. Armbrust, D.M. Karl, M.H. Fyfe, C.M. Brown, M.J., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2404460121)
Ecological restoration enhances dryland carbon stock by reducing surface soil carbon loss due to wind erosion (J. Song, S. Wan, K. Zhang, S. Hong, J. Xia, S. Piao, Y. Wang, J. Chen, D. Hui, Y. Luo, S. Niu, J. Ru, H. Xu, M. Zheng, W. Liu, H. Wang, M. Tan, Z. Zhou, J. Feng, X. Qiu, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2416281121)
Mineral-associated organic matter is heterogeneous and structured by hydrophobic, charged, and polar interactions (T.R. Underwood, I.C. Bourg, K.M. Rosso, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2413216121)
Microbial metabolism disrupts cytokine activity to impact host immune response (E.K.P. Marshall, C. Nunes, S. Burbaud, C.M. Vincent, N.O. Munroe, C.J. Simoes da Silva, A. Wadhawan, W.H. Pearson, J. Sangen, L. Boeck, R.A. Floto, M. S. Dionne, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024) | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405719121)
Featured image credit: kjpargeter | Freepik
