What does the future of our soils look like – and with it, water availability – under the influence of the upcoming climatic changes? An international study led by Jesse Radolinski and Michael Bahn shows how drought, warming, and elevated CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere are altering the hydrological balance in soils and challenging the resilience of ecosystems. The findings were published in the journal Science.
Grasslands cover nearly 40 per cent of the Earth's surface and play an important role in the global water cycle. Yet how climate change affects these vital ecosystems remains poorly understood. A new study, carried out as part of an international project funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and led by Michael Bahn from the Functional Ecology research group at the Institute of Ecology, now provides fresh insights into the future of grassland ecosystems. The results of this multi-year investigation illustrate how drought, elevated temperatures, and rising CO₂ concentrations affect soil water availability and plant water use.
"We simulated the changes expected in future climate scenarios for three key factors: warming, elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, and drought. We examined the effects both individually and in various combinations," explains Michael Bahn…
Read more at: uibk.ac.at
Also of interest: the CCCA Fact Sheet Impacts of Drought on Grassland under Current and Future Climate Conditions (Bahn et al, UIBK 2023)
