Deforestation amplifies climate change effects on warming and cloud level rise in African montane forests

Temesgen Alemayehu Abera; Janne Heiskanen; Eduardo Eiji Maeda; Mohammed Ahmed Muhammed; Netra Bhandari; Ville Vakkari; Binyam Tesfaw Hailu; Petri K. E. Pellikka; Andreas Hemp; Pieter G. van Zyl; Dirk Zeuss

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51324-7

Deforestation amplifies climate change effects on warming and cloud level rise in African montane forests

Temesgen Alemayehu Abera, Janne Heiskanen, Eduardo Eiji Maeda, Mohammed Ahmed Muhammed, Netra Bhandari, Ville Vakkari, Binyam Tesfaw Hailu, Petri K. E. Pellikka, Andreas Hemp, Pieter G. van Zyl, Dirk Zeuss

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Tropical montane forest ecosystems are pivotal for sustaining biodiversity and
essential terrestrial ecosystem services, including the provision of high-quality fresh water. Nonetheless, the impact of montane deforestation and climate change on the capacity of forests to deliver ecosystem services is yet to be fully understood. In this study, we offer observational evidence demonstrating the response of air temperature and cloud base height to deforestation in African montane forests over the last two decades. Our findings reveal that approximately 18% (7.4 ± 0.5 million hectares) of Africa’s montane forests were lost between 2003 and 2022. This deforestation has led to a notable increase in maximum air temperature (1.37 ± 0.58 °C) and cloud base height (236 ± 87 metres), surpassing shifts attributed solely to climate change. Our results call for urgent attention to montane deforestation, as it poses serious threats to
biodiversity, water supply, and ecosystem services in the tropics.

Original language	English
Article number	6992
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	15
Number of pages	10
ISSN	2041-1723
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51324-7
Publication status	Published - 14 Aug 2024
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

1171 Geosciences
Change-driven
Land-cover
Temperature
Impact

Access to Document

10.1038/s41467-024-51324-7

s41467-024-51324-7Final published version, 2.88 MBLicence: CC BY

ESSA: Earth observation and environmental sensing for climate-smart sustainable agro-pastoralism ecosystem transformation in East Africa
Pellikka, P. (Principal Investigator), Johansson, T. (Project manager), Heiskanen, J. (Other), Abera, T. (Other), Vuorinne, I. (Other) & Hailu, B. (Other)
01/01/2021 → 31/12/2024
Project: Research project

Cite this

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title = "Deforestation amplifies climate change effects on warming and cloud level rise in African montane forests",

abstract = "Tropical montane forest ecosystems are pivotal for sustaining biodiversity andessential terrestrial ecosystem services, including the provision of high-quality fresh water. Nonetheless, the impact of montane deforestation and climate change on the capacity of forests to deliver ecosystem services is yet to be fully understood. In this study, we offer observational evidence demonstrating the response of air temperature and cloud base height to deforestation in African montane forests over the last two decades. Our findings reveal that approximately 18% (7.4 ± 0.5 million hectares) of Africa{\textquoteright}s montane forests were lost between 2003 and 2022. This deforestation has led to a notable increase in maximum air temperature (1.37 ± 0.58 °C) and cloud base height (236 ± 87 metres), surpassing shifts attributed solely to climate change. Our results call for urgent attention to montane deforestation, as it poses serious threats tobiodiversity, water supply, and ecosystem services in the tropics.",

keywords = "1171 Geosciences, Change-driven, Land-cover, Temperature, Impact",

author = "Abera, {Temesgen Alemayehu} and Janne Heiskanen and Maeda, {Eduardo Eiji} and Muhammed, {Mohammed Ahmed} and Netra Bhandari and Ville Vakkari and Hailu, {Binyam Tesfaw} and Pellikka, {Petri K. E.} and Andreas Hemp and {van Zyl}, {Pieter G.} and Dirk Zeuss",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-024-51324-7",

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T1 - Deforestation amplifies climate change effects on warming and cloud level rise in African montane forests

AU - Abera, Temesgen Alemayehu

AU - Heiskanen, Janne

AU - Maeda, Eduardo Eiji

AU - Muhammed, Mohammed Ahmed

AU - Bhandari, Netra

AU - Vakkari, Ville

AU - Hailu, Binyam Tesfaw

AU - Pellikka, Petri K. E.

AU - Hemp, Andreas

AU - van Zyl, Pieter G.

AU - Zeuss, Dirk

PY - 2024/8/14

Y1 - 2024/8/14

N2 - Tropical montane forest ecosystems are pivotal for sustaining biodiversity andessential terrestrial ecosystem services, including the provision of high-quality fresh water. Nonetheless, the impact of montane deforestation and climate change on the capacity of forests to deliver ecosystem services is yet to be fully understood. In this study, we offer observational evidence demonstrating the response of air temperature and cloud base height to deforestation in African montane forests over the last two decades. Our findings reveal that approximately 18% (7.4 ± 0.5 million hectares) of Africa’s montane forests were lost between 2003 and 2022. This deforestation has led to a notable increase in maximum air temperature (1.37 ± 0.58 °C) and cloud base height (236 ± 87 metres), surpassing shifts attributed solely to climate change. Our results call for urgent attention to montane deforestation, as it poses serious threats tobiodiversity, water supply, and ecosystem services in the tropics.

AB - Tropical montane forest ecosystems are pivotal for sustaining biodiversity andessential terrestrial ecosystem services, including the provision of high-quality fresh water. Nonetheless, the impact of montane deforestation and climate change on the capacity of forests to deliver ecosystem services is yet to be fully understood. In this study, we offer observational evidence demonstrating the response of air temperature and cloud base height to deforestation in African montane forests over the last two decades. Our findings reveal that approximately 18% (7.4 ± 0.5 million hectares) of Africa’s montane forests were lost between 2003 and 2022. This deforestation has led to a notable increase in maximum air temperature (1.37 ± 0.58 °C) and cloud base height (236 ± 87 metres), surpassing shifts attributed solely to climate change. Our results call for urgent attention to montane deforestation, as it poses serious threats tobiodiversity, water supply, and ecosystem services in the tropics.

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KW - Change-driven

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KW - Temperature

KW - Impact

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VL - 15

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 6992

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Deforestation amplifies climate change effects on warming and cloud level rise in African montane forests

Abstract

Fields of Science

Access to Document

Projects

ESSA: Earth observation and environmental sensing for climate-smart sustainable agro-pastoralism ecosystem transformation in East Africa

Cite this