Biodiversity and Climate Extremes: Known Interactions and Research Gaps

• Published in: Earth's future 2024-06, Vol.12 (6), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Mahecha, M. D., Bastos, A., Bohn, F. J., Eisenhauer, N., Feilhauer, H., Hickler, T., Kalesse‐Los, H., Migliavacca, M., Otto, F. E. L., Peng, J., Sippel, S., Tegen, I., Weigelt, A., Wendisch, M., Wirth, C., Al‐Halbouni, D., Deneke, H., Doktor, D., Dunker, S., Duveiller, G., Ehrlich, A., Foth, A., García‐García, A., Guerra, C. A., Guimarães‐Steinicke, C., Hartmann, H., Henning, S., Herrmann, H., Hu, P., Ji, C., Kattenborn, T., Kolleck, N., Kretschmer, M., Kühn, I., Luttkus, M. L., Maahn, M., Mönks, M., Mora, K., Pöhlker, M., Reichstein, M., Rüger, N., Sánchez‐Parra, B., Schäfer, M., Stratmann, F., Tesche, M., Wehner, B., Wieneke, S., Winkler, A. J., Wolf, S., Zaehle, S., Zscheischler, J., Quaas, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atmospheric processes; Biodiversity; Climate and weather; Climate change; climate extremes; Climate prediction; Climatic extremes; Drought; Ecological effects; Ecological function; Ecosystem management; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Extreme weather; Feedback; Floods; Hydrometeorology; Structure-function relationships; Taxonomy; Terrestrial ecosystems
• ISSN: 2328-4277; 2328-4277
• DOI: 10.1029/2023EF003963

Climate extremes are on the rise. Impacts of extreme climate and weather events on ecosystem services and ultimately human well‐being can be partially attenuated by the organismic, structural, and functional diversity of the affected land surface. However, the ongoing transformation of terrestrial ecosystems through intensified exploitation and management may put this buffering capacity at risk. Here, we summarize the evidence that reductions in biodiversity can destabilize the functioning of ecosystems facing climate extremes. We then explore if impaired ecosystem functioning could, in turn, exacerbate climate extremes. We argue that only a comprehensive approach, incorporating both ecological and hydrometeorological perspectives, enables us to understand and predict the entire feedback system between altered biodiversity and climate extremes. This ambition, however, requires a reformulation of current research priorities to emphasize the bidirectional effects that link ecology and atmospheric processes. Plain Language Summary Climate extremes are increasing and impacting both nature and people. We hypothesize that intact ecosystems, particularly via their biodiversity, can mitigate the impacts of climate extremes. What happens when biodiversity decreases? Could this loss make the effects of climate extremes even worse or change how these events occur? We explore these two questions and summarize the current state of knowledge. We conclude that targeted research efforts at the interface of ecology and atmospheric sciences are needed to answer these questions conclusively. Key Points Mounting evidence suggests that an ecosystem's capacity to buffer the impacts of climate extremes depends on its biodiversity Numerous mechanisms suggest that a reduction in biodiversity could exacerbate climate extremes A series of research gaps need to be addressed to understand the full feedback between biodiversity change and climate extremes