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 R. Feng 2022 <div id="Abs1-section" class="c-article-section"><div id="Abs1-content" class="c-article-section__content"><p>Despite tectonic conditions and atmospheric<span>&nbsp;</span><i>CO</i>_<i>2</i><span>&nbsp;</span>levels (<i>pCO</i>_<i>2</i>) 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<span>&nbsp;</span><i>CO</i>_<i>2</i><span>&nbsp;</span>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<span>&nbsp;</span><i>pCO</i>_<i>2</i>. 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<span>&nbsp;</span><i>CO</i>_<i>2</i><span>&nbsp;</span>forcing.</p></div></div> application/pdf 10.1038/s41467-022-28814-7 en Nature Past terrestrial hydroclimate sensitivity controlled by Earth system feedbacks article