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Possible climatic impacts of land cover transformations, with particular emphasis on tropical deforestation

Possible climatic impacts of land cover transformations, with particular emphasis on tropical... The climatic impact of albedo changes associated with land-surface alterations has been examined. The total surface global albedo change resulting from major land-cover transformations (i.e. deforestation, desertification, irrigation, dam-building, urbanization) has been recalculated, modifying the estimates of Sagan et al., (1979). Tropical deforestation (11.1 million ha yr-1, or 0.6% yr-1, Lanly, 1982) ranks as a major cause of albedo change, although uncertainties in the areal extent of desertification could conceivably render this latter process of similar significance. The maximum total global albedo change over the last 30 yr for the various processes lies between 0.000 33 and 0.000 64, corresponding to a global temperature decrease of between 0.06 K and 0.09 K (scaled from the 1-D radiative convective model of Hansen et al., 1981), which falls well below the interannual and longer period variability. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Climatic Change Springer Journals

Possible climatic impacts of land cover transformations, with particular emphasis on tropical deforestation

Henderson-Sellers, A.; Gornitz, V.
Climatic Change , Volume 6 (3) – Jun 10, 2004
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References (63)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright
Subject
Earth Sciences; Atmospheric Sciences; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts
ISSN
0165-0009
eISSN
1573-1480
DOI
10.1007/BF00142475
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The climatic impact of albedo changes associated with land-surface alterations has been examined. The total surface global albedo change resulting from major land-cover transformations (i.e. deforestation, desertification, irrigation, dam-building, urbanization) has been recalculated, modifying the estimates of Sagan et al., (1979). Tropical deforestation (11.1 million ha yr-1, or 0.6% yr-1, Lanly, 1982) ranks as a major cause of albedo change, although uncertainties in the areal extent of desertification could conceivably render this latter process of similar significance. The maximum total global albedo change over the last 30 yr for the various processes lies between 0.000 33 and 0.000 64, corresponding to a global temperature decrease of between 0.06 K and 0.09 K (scaled from the 1-D radiative convective model of Hansen et al., 1981), which falls well below the interannual and longer period variability.

Journal

Climatic Change – Springer Journals

Published: Jun 10, 2004

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