Past terrestrial hydroclimate sensitivity controlled by Earth system feedbacks
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Abstract
Despite tectonic conditions and atmospheric CO2 levels (pCO2) similar to those of present-day, geological reconstructions from the mid-Pliocene (3.3-3.0 Ma) document high lake levels in the Sahel and mesic conditions in subtropical Eurasia, suggesting drastic reorganizations of subtropical terrestrial hydroclimate during this interval. Here, using a compilation of proxy data and multi-model paleoclimate simulations, we show that the mid-Pliocene hydroclimate state is not driven by direct CO2 radiative forcing but by a loss of northern high-latitude ice sheets and continental greening. These ice sheet and vegetation changes are long-term Earth system feedbacks to elevated pCO2. Further, the moist conditions in the Sahel and subtropical Eurasia during the mid-Pliocene are a product of enhanced tropospheric humidity and a stationary wave response to the surface warming pattern, which varies strongly with land cover changes. These findings highlight the potential for amplified terrestrial hydroclimate responses over long timescales to a sustained CO2 forcing.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Past terrestrial hydroclimate sensitivity controlled by Earth system feedbacks |
| Series title | Nature Communications |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41467-022-28814-7 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Publication Date | March 14, 2022 |
| Year Published | 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Nature |
| Contributing office(s) | Florence Bascom Geoscience Center |
| Description | 1306, 11 p. |