Influence of Forest Cover Loss on Land Surface Temperature Differs by Drivers in China

Abstract

Elucidating the climate feedback due to forest cover loss is critical for a comprehensive understanding of the role of forests in mitigating climate change. Current research studies predominantly focus on the impacts of permanent forest conversion, often overlooking the effects of recurrent disturbances such as fire and harvest. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of forest cover loss caused by two distinct drivers in China over the period 2003–2020. Our analysis revealed that fire-induced forest cover loss accounted for approximately 10% of total forest cover loss in China. The immediate (i.e., 1 year after disturbance) changes in land surface temperature (ΔLST) due to fire were higher (ΔLST = 0.11°C, interquartile range (IQR): [−0.02°C–0.23°C]) compared to those caused by harvest (ΔLST = 0.04°C, IQR: [−0.01°C–0.09°C]). This finding highlights the immediate warming effect of fire-induced forest cover loss, was about triple as large as that caused by harvest. Our analysis also found that the warming effect post-fire gradually lessened but still maintained approximately 0.02°C 5 years later. Change in evapotranspiration is a primary factor influencing surface temperature changes following forest disturbances. Our study provides comprehensive insights into the differential and persistent effects of LST responses to fire and harvest, underscoring the importance of understanding the climate feedback from forest dynamics from different drivers.