Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/rs6065717
Title (Primary) Human land-use practices lead to global long-term increases in photosynthetic capacity
Author Mueller, T.; Dressler, G.; Tucker, C.J.; Pinzon, J.E.; Leimgruber, P.; Dubayah, R.O.; Hurtt, G.C.; Böhning-Gaese, K.; Fagan, W.F.
Source Titel Remote Sensing
Year 2014
Department OESA
Volume 6
Issue 6
Page From 5717
Page To 5731
Language englisch
Keywords NDVI; land-use; anthropogenic biomes; anthromes; global change; GIMMS3g
UFZ wide themes RU5;
Abstract Long-term trends in photosynthetic capacity measured with the satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) are usually associated with climate change. Human impacts on the global land surface are typically not accounted for. Here, we provide the first global analysis quantifying the effect of the earth’s human footprint on NDVI trends. Globally, more than 20% of the variability in NDVI trends was explained by anthropogenic factors such as land use, nitrogen fertilization, and irrigation. Intensely used land classes, such as villages, showed the greatest rates of increase in NDVI, more than twice than those of forests. These findings reveal that factors beyond climate influence global long-term trends in NDVI and suggest that global climate change models and analyses of primary productivity should incorporate land use effects
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=15118
Mueller, T., Dressler, G., Tucker, C.J., Pinzon, J.E., Leimgruber, P., Dubayah, R.O., Hurtt, G.C., Böhning-Gaese, K., Fagan, W.F. (2014):
Human land-use practices lead to global long-term increases in photosynthetic capacity
Remote Sens. 6 (6), 5717 - 5731 10.3390/rs6065717