Deforestation intensifies daily temperature variability in the northern extratropics

While the biogeophysical effects of deforestation on average and extreme temperatures are broadly documented, how deforestation influences temperature variability remains largely unknown. This study investigates the biogeophysical effects of idealized deforestation on daily temperature variability at the global scale using multiple earth system models and in situ observations. Results show that deforestation intensifies daily temperature variability (up to 20%) in the northern extratropics, especially in winter, leading to more frequent rapid extreme warming and cooling events. This increased variability is attributed to enhanced near-surface horizontal temperature advection, partly offset by lower variability in surface sensible heat flux. The study also examines responses to historical deforestation and future afforestation, revealing overlooked effects on temperature variability and providing implications for large-scale afforestation in northern extratropical countries.

Jun Ge, Qi Liu, Beilei Zan, Zhiqiang Lin, Sha Lu, Bo Qiu, Weidong Guo