A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments
Current climate change trends are affecting the magnitude and recurrence of extreme weather events. In particular, several semi-arid regions around the planet are confronting more intense and prolonged lack of precipitation, slowly transforming part of these regions into deserts in some cases. Altho...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AIMS Press
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2018052 |
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| author | Shannon Dixon Nancy Huntly Priscilla E. Greenwood Luis F. Gordillo |
| author_facet | Shannon Dixon Nancy Huntly Priscilla E. Greenwood Luis F. Gordillo |
| author_sort | Shannon Dixon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Current climate change trends are affecting the magnitude and recurrence of extreme weather events. In particular, several semi-arid regions around the planet are confronting more intense and prolonged lack of precipitation, slowly transforming part of these regions into deserts in some cases. Although it is documented that a decreasing tendency in precipitation might induce earlier disappearance of vegetation, quantifying the relationship between decrease of precipitation and vegetation endurance remains a challenging task due to the inherent complexities involved in distinct scenarios. In this paper we present a model for precipitation-vegetation dynamics in semi-arid landscapes that can be used to explore numerically the impact of decreasing precipitation trends on appearance of desertification events. The model, a stochastic differential equation approximation derived from a Markov jump process, is used to generate extensive simulations that suggest a relationship between precipitation reduction and the desertification process, which might take several years in some instances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cddb25b2fdb74ac594c5ed1d2f784c25 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1551-0018 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-cddb25b2fdb74ac594c5ed1d2f784c252025-01-24T02:41:02ZengAIMS PressMathematical Biosciences and Engineering1551-00182018-09-011551155116410.3934/mbe.2018052A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environmentsShannon Dixon0Nancy Huntly1Priscilla E. Greenwood2Luis F. Gordillo3Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USAEcology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USAMathematics Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USACurrent climate change trends are affecting the magnitude and recurrence of extreme weather events. In particular, several semi-arid regions around the planet are confronting more intense and prolonged lack of precipitation, slowly transforming part of these regions into deserts in some cases. Although it is documented that a decreasing tendency in precipitation might induce earlier disappearance of vegetation, quantifying the relationship between decrease of precipitation and vegetation endurance remains a challenging task due to the inherent complexities involved in distinct scenarios. In this paper we present a model for precipitation-vegetation dynamics in semi-arid landscapes that can be used to explore numerically the impact of decreasing precipitation trends on appearance of desertification events. The model, a stochastic differential equation approximation derived from a Markov jump process, is used to generate extensive simulations that suggest a relationship between precipitation reduction and the desertification process, which might take several years in some instances.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2018052desertificationwater-vegetation modelprecipitationsemi-arid environmentsdrylands |
| spellingShingle | Shannon Dixon Nancy Huntly Priscilla E. Greenwood Luis F. Gordillo A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering desertification water-vegetation model precipitation semi-arid environments drylands |
| title | A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments |
| title_full | A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments |
| title_fullStr | A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments |
| title_full_unstemmed | A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments |
| title_short | A stochastic model for water-vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi-arid environments |
| title_sort | stochastic model for water vegetation systems and the effect of decreasing precipitation on semi arid environments |
| topic | desertification water-vegetation model precipitation semi-arid environments drylands |
| url | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2018052 |
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