Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135518 |
| Title (Primary) | Quantifying the dampening effect of soil moisture on drought propagation in northern ecosystems |
| Author | Li, Y.; Huang, S.; Chen, D.; Li, J.; Leng, G.; Huang, Q.; Wang, Z.; Peng, J.
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| Source Titel | Journal of Hydrology |
| Year | 2026 |
| Department | RS |
| Volume | 674 |
| Page From | art. 135518 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T5 Future Landscapes |
| Supplements | Supplement 1 |
| Keywords | Antecedent soil moisture; Dampening effect; Drought propagation; Meteorological drought; Northern ecosystems; Climate change |
| Abstract | The dampening effect of antecedent soil moisture is crucial for terrestrial ecosystems to withstand the impacts of meteorological drought. However, the capacity of soil moisture to mitigate the propagation of meteorological drought to ecosystems has not been quantified at large scales. In this study, we focused on Northern Hemisphere ecosystems during the peak summer growing season. Using soil moisture and remote sensing data (1982–2022), we quantified the Dampening Rate (DR) of soil moisture on drought based on the proposed Drought Propagation Index (DPI). Our results reveal that antecedent soil moisture exerts significant dampening effects on drought propagation, with an average DR of 54.4% across all drought severity levels. Spatially, the dampening capacity of soil moisture was substantially stronger in Humid and sub-Humid regions than in Arid and semi-Arid areas. Vertically, middle and surface soil layers showed the most pronounced buffering against extreme drought, particularly in Humid zones, where surface and middle-layers maintained average DR values of 59.2% and 61.4% respectively. Over the past four decades, the dampening capacity remained generally stable across most of the study region. However, significant declines in DR (p < 0.05) were detected in several critical areas including the Midwestern US, southwestern Europe, southwestern Russia, and the Mongolian Plateau, where rising temperatures combined with decreasing soil moisture have substantially weakened this buffering capacity. Our findings underscore the critical role of antecedent soil moisture in mitigating meteorological droughts, and quantification method of the dampening provide valuable insights for ecological drought monitoring and prediction under climate change. |
| Li, Y., Huang, S., Chen, D., Li, J., Leng, G., Huang, Q., Wang, Z., Peng, J. (2026): Quantifying the dampening effect of soil moisture on drought propagation in northern ecosystems J. Hydrol. 674 , art. 135518 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135518 |
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