Past terrestrial hydroclimate sensitivity controlled by Earth system feedbacks

R. Feng; T. Bhattacharya; B. Otto-Bliesner; E. Brady; A. M. Haywood; J. Tindall; S. J. Hunter; A. Abe- Ouchi; W.-L. Chan; M. Kageyama; C. Contoux; C. Guo; X. Li; G. Lohmann; C. Stepanek; N. Tan; Q. Zhang; Z. Zhang; Z. Han; J.R. Williams; D. J. Lunt; Harry J. Dowsett; Deepak Chandan; W. Richard Peltier

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-28814-7

Past terrestrial hydroclimate sensitivity controlled by Earth system feedbacks

Nature Communications

By: R. Feng, T. Bhattacharya, B. Otto-Bliesner, E. Brady, A. M. Haywood, J. Tindall, S. J. Hunter, A. Abe- Ouchi, W.-L. Chan, M. Kageyama, C. Contoux, C. Guo, X. Li, G. Lohmann, C. Stepanek, N. Tan, Q. Zhang, Z. Zhang, Z. Han, J.R. Williams, D. J. Lunt, Harry J. Dowsett, Deepak Chandan, and W. Richard Peltier

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28814-7

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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.

Additional publication details
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
Year Published	2022
Language	English
Publisher	Nature
Contributing office(s)	Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
Description	1306, 11 p.
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page