Albedo impacts of current agricultural land use: Crop-specific albedo from MODIS data and inclusion in LCA of crop production

Sieber, Petra; Ericsson, Niclas; Hammar, Torun; Hansson, Per‐Anders

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155455

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…As observed, the growth of avocado trees in seven years yielded a decrease of 17% in albedo. The effect of reducing albedo by orchards has already been reported [44][45][46]. The reduction of albedo when changing from annual agriculture to sheltered agriculture can be explained by considering that there are materials used in greenhouse structures capable of absorbing large amounts of solar radiation, but, in counterpart, increasing the heat island effect [39].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Deforestation and Its Effect on Surface Albedo and Weather Patterns

et al. 2023

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Deforestation is an important environmental problem and a key promoter of regional climate change through modifying the surface albedo. The objective of this research was to characterize the impact of deforestation and land use changes on surface albedo (α) and climate patterns in a tropical highland region of Mexico, between the years 2014 and 2021. The main land cover types are coniferous forests (CF), oak and gallery woodlands (OGW), and annual agriculture (AA), which represent more than 88% of the regional territory. We used 2014 and 2021 Landsat 8 OLI images with topographic and atmospheric correction in order to develop an inventory of albedo values for each land cover type in both time scenarios. Albedo images were generated by using the equation proposed by Liang in 2001, which is based on the reflectance of the bands 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Differences in albedo values were calculated between the years 2014 and 2021, and those differences were correlated with variations in climate parameters, for which we used climate data derived from the WRF model. In addition, the different land use changes found were classified in terms of triggers for increasing or decreasing surface albedo. We used the Mann–Whitney U Test to compare the 2021 − 2014 climatic deviations in two samples: Sample A, which included sites without albedo change in 2021; and Sample B, including sites with albedo change in 2021. Results showed that between 2014 and 2021, at least 38 events of land use change or deforestation occurred, with albedo increments between 1 and 11%, which triggered an average increment of 2.16% (p < 0.01; Mann–Whitney U Test) of the regional surface albedo in comparison to the 2014 scenario. In this period, the albedo for CF, OGW, and AA also increased significantly (p < 0.001; Mann–Whitney U Test) by +79, +12, and +9%, respectively. In addition, the regional albedo increment was found to be significant and negatively correlated (p < 0.01 Spearman’s coefficient) with relative humidity (RH), maximum temperature (Tmax), and minimum temperature (Tmin), and correlated (p < 0.01) positively with diurnal temperature range (DTR). The Mann–Whitney U Test revealed that 2021 climatic variations in Sample B sites are statistically different (p < 0.05) to 2021 climatic variations in Sample A sites, which demonstrates that albedo changes are linked to a decrease in minimum temperature and relative humidity and an increase in DTR. Conversion of CF and OGW into AA, perennial agriculture (PA), or grassland (GR) always yielded an albedo increment, whilst the conversion of AA to irrigation agriculture (IA) or PA triggered a decrease in albedo, and finally, the pass from GR or AA to protected agriculture (PA) caused albedo to increase or decrease, depending on the greenhouse covers materials. Reducing deforestation of CF and OGW, conversion of AA or GR into PA, and selecting adequate greenhouse covers could help to mitigate regional climate change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Deforestation and Its Effect on Surface Albedo and Weather Patterns

et al. 2023

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“…Over the past four decades, scientific investigations of these warming and cooling effects have mostly focused on CO 2 , but there has been increasing attention paid to other mechanisms in recent years. There is increasing interest in quantifying how changes in land surface properties such as albedo caused by natural disturbances (e.g., wildfires, windthrow) and land-use practices (e.g., deforestation, urbanization, agricultural development) can have influences on climate via affecting solar radiation reflection by the surface instantaneously (Lawrence et al, 2022;Ouyang et al, 2022;Sieber et al, 2022;Zarnetske et al, 2021), compared with GHGs that have lasting effects (up to hundreds of years) on the climate. The radiative forcing (RF) induced by altered albedo was added to the IPCC report for the first time in 2001 (IPCC, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Albedo‐Induced Global Warming Potential Following Disturbances in Global Temperate and Boreal Forests

Zhu,

Chen,

Charles P.‐A.

et al. 2024

JGR Biogeosciences

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Forest disturbances can result in very different canopies that carry elevated albedo, thus causing substantial cooling effects on the climate. Unfortunately, the resulting dynamic global warming potential from altered albedo (GWPΔα) is poorly understood. We examined and modeled the changes in albedo over time after disturbances (i.e., forest age) by forest type, disturbance type and geographic location using direct measurements from 107 sites in temperate and boreal regions. Albedo in undisturbed forests was used as the reference to calculate albedo changes (Δα) and GWPΔα after a disturbance. We found that age is a significant factor for predicting albedo amid the obvious regulations from forest type and geographic locations. We found the strongest cooling GWPΔα in the first 10 years after a disturbance, but it decreased rapidly with time. The changes in GWPΔα were very different from the chronosequence of net ecosystem production (NEP). In the first decade after disturbances, GWPΔα was negative (i.e., cooling) and surprisingly larger in magnitude, with an average of −0.609 kg CO2 m−2 yr−1, compared to NEP of −0.166 kg CO2 m−2 yr−1. Albedo continued to decrease and approached pre‐disturbance levels until around 50 years, resulting in a nearly zero GWPΔα. This research illustrates that many forests in temperate and boreal regions can be considered significant cooling agents by taking into account the high albedo of young forests following disturbances.

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“…conversions from bare ground to biofuel, grassland, and cropland) and agronomic practices (e.g. tillage, planting density, crop species choice, conventional vs conservation management), which in turn can significantly alter surface albedo (Pielke et al 2011, Cai et al 2016, 2023, Sieber et al 2022a that redefines surface energy budget (Sieber et al 2020, Abraha et al 2021. These imbalances due to surface albedo changes are referred to as albedoinduced radiative forcing (RF α ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Albedo of crops as a nature-based climate solution to global warming

Lei,

Chen,

Ibáñez

et al. 2024

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Surface albedo can affect the energy budget and subsequently cause localized warming or cooling of the climate. When we convert a substantial portion of lands to agriculture, land surface properties are consequently altered, including albedo. Through crop selection and management, one can increase crop albedo to obtain higher levels of localized cooling effects to mitigate global warming. Still, there is little understanding about how distinctive features of a cropping system may be responsible for elevated albedo and consequently for the cooling potential of cultivated lands. To address this pressing issue, we conducted seasonal measurements of surface reflectivity during five growing seasons on annual crops of corn-soybean–winter wheat (Zea mays L.- Glycine max L. Merrill - Triticum aestivum L.; CSW) rotations at three agronomic intensities, a monoculture of perennial switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and perennial polycultures of early successional and restored prairie grasslands. We found that crop-species, agronomic intensity, seasonality, and plant phenology had significant effects on albedo. The mean±SD albedo was highest in perennial crops of switchgrass (0.179±0.04), intermediate in early successional crops (0.170±0.04), and lowest in a reduced input corn systems with cover crops (0.154±0.02). The strongest cooling potentials were found in soybean (-0.450 kg CO2e m-2 yr-1) and switchgrass (-0.367 kg CO2e m-2 yr-1), with up to -0.265 kg CO2e m-2 yr-1 of localized climate cooling annually provided by different agroecosystems. We also demonstrated how diverse ecosystems, leaf canopy, and agronomic practices can affect surface reflectivity and provide another potential nature-based solution for reducing global warming at localized scales.

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Albedo impacts of current agricultural land use: Crop-specific albedo from MODIS data and inclusion in LCA of crop production

Cited by 10 publications

References 67 publications

Deforestation and Its Effect on Surface Albedo and Weather Patterns

Deforestation and Its Effect on Surface Albedo and Weather Patterns

Albedo‐Induced Global Warming Potential Following Disturbances in Global Temperate and Boreal Forests

Albedo of crops as a nature-based climate solution to global warming

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