A continent under stress: interactions, feedbacks and risks associated with impact of modified land cover on Australia’s climate
Abstract
Global climate change is the major and most urgent global environmental issue. Australia is already experiencing climate change as evidenced by higher temperatures and more frequent and severe droughts. These impacts are compounded by increasing land use pressures on natural resources and native ecosystems. This paper provides a synthesis of the interactions, feedbacks and risks of natural climate variability, climate change and land use/land cover change (LUCC) impacting on the Australian continent and how they vary regionally. We review evidence of climate change and underlying processes resulting from interactions between global warming caused by increased concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases and modification of the land surface. The consequences of ignoring the effect of LUCC on current and future droughts in Australia could have catastrophic consequences for the nation's environment, economy and communities. We highlight the need for more integrated, long‐term and adaptive policies and regional natural resource management strategies that restore the beneficial feedbacks between native vegetation cover and local‐regional climate, to help ameliorate the impact of global warming.
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Deforestation has been linked to decreases in rainfall in eastern Australia.
“and has been linked to decreases in rainfall in eastern Australia (McAlpine et al 2009)”
From The impact of deforestation on rainfall in Africa: a data-driven assessment (2021) · cites this paper as McAlpine et al 2009
Deforestation affects rainfall.
“It is clear that deforestation affects rainfall (e.g.McAlpine et al 2009, McAlpine et al 2018, Salazar et al 2015).”
From The impact of deforestation on rainfall in Africa: a data-driven assessment (2021) · cites this paper as McAlpine et al 2009
A process-based ocean-atmosphere-land surface model could be more accurate in representing impacts of forest losses that far exceed current deforestation patterns.
“A process-based oceanatmosphere-land surface model (e.g.McAlpine et al 2009) could be more accurate in representing impacts of forest losses that far exceed current deforestation patterns.”
From The impact of deforestation on rainfall in Africa: a data-driven assessment (2021) · cites this paper as McAlpine et al 2009
Cites
Global Consequences of Land Use
Foley, J. A., DeFries, R., Asner, G. P., Barford, C., Bonan, G., Carpenter, S. R., Chapin, F. S., Coe, M. T., Daily, G. C., Gibbs, H. K., et al. (2005) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1111772 · Cited by 13,272 · see citing works
A synthesis of information on rapid land-cover change for the period 1981–2000
LEPERS, E., LAMBIN, E. F., JANETOS, A. C., DeFRIES, R., ACHARD, F., RAMANKUTTY, N., & SCHOLES, R. J. (2005) · BioScience · doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0115:asoior]2.0.co;2 · Cited by 478 · cited 1× · see citing works
“This ranked the region fifth worldwide on deforestation rate (Lepers et al., 2005).”
BackgroundPeople on the Land: Changes in Global Population and Croplands during the 20<sup>th</sup>Century
Ramankutty, N., Foley, J. A., & Olejniczak, N. J. (2002) · AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment · doi:10.1579/0044-7447-31.3.251 · Cited by 249 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Human pressures on the Earth’s ecosystems are also accelerating at an unprecedented rate, with almost onehalf of global ecosystem production being directed toward human consumption (Vitousek et al., 1997; Ramankutty et al., 2002; Foley et al., 2005).”
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Rangeland Systems: Processes, Management and Challenges
(2017) · Springer Series on Environmental Management · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
The impact of deforestation on rainfall in Africa: a data-driven assessment
Duku, C., & Hein, L. (2021) · Environmental Research Letters · doi:10.1088/1748-9326/abfcfb · Cited by 51 · see citing works
- Authors
- MCALPINE, C. A., SYKTUS, J., RYAN, J. G., DEO, R. C., MCKEON, G. M., MCGOWAN, H. A., & PHINN, S. R.
- Affiliations
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence (AU)
- Corresponding author
- MCALPINE, C. A.
- Venue
- Global Change Biology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-08-04
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 2206-2223
- ISSN
- 1354-1013 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2486
- OpenAlex
- W2107878489
- Cited by
- 152
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 12.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Global Change Biology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate variability and models
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Hydrology and Drought Analysis
- Keywords
- land use and land cover change, climate change, drought, Australian climate, native vegetation, land surface modification, climate variability, greenhouse gases, regional climate impacts, natural resource management, climate adaptation policy, vegetation-climate feedback
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