Trees help cool the land more than they warm it during seasonal changes in the Northern Hemisphere

What is it about?

This study looks at how seasonal changes in trees, like when leaves come out in spring or fall off in autumn, affect land surface temperature. Using satellite data and ground observations, we found that the cooling effect from trees (mainly through releasing water into the air) is stronger than the warming effect (mainly from darker leaves absorbing sunlight) during most parts of the growing season. The strongest cooling happens when forests are at their greenest. Importantly, in many regions this cooling effect is becoming even stronger as the climate warms.

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Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash

Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash

Why is it important?

These findings highlight the importance of looking not just at long-term or yearly vegetation changes, but also at the shorter, within-season shifts when we try to predict climate impacts. These intraseasonal dynamics can significantly change how much forests cool the land surface, and in many cases, they provide a natural buffer against rising temperatures. By better understanding these seasonal patterns, we can improve climate models and make more accurate predictions about future warming.