Articles | Volume 25, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3713-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3713-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
01 Jul 2021
Research article |
| 01 Jul 2021
| 01 Jul 2021
Drought onset and propagation into soil moisture and grassland vegetation responses during the 2012–2019 major drought in Southern California
Maria Magdalena Warter
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University,
Cardiff, CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
Michael Bliss Singer
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University,
Cardiff, CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
Water Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX,
United Kingdom
Earth Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara,
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3060, USA
Mark O. Cuthbert
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University,
Cardiff, CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
Water Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX,
United Kingdom
Connected Waters Initiative Research Centre (CWI), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Dar Roberts
Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
Kelly K. Caylor
Earth Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara,
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3060, USA
Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of
California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
Romy Sabathier
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University,
Cardiff, CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
John Stella
Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State
University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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Short summary
Intensified drying of soil and grassland vegetation is raising the impact of fire severity and extent in Southern California. While browned grassland is a common sight during the dry season, this study has shown that there is a pronounced shift in the timing of senescence, due to changing climate conditions favoring milder winter temperatures and increased precipitation variability. Vegetation may be limited in its ability to adapt to these shifts, as drought periods become more frequent.
Intensified drying of soil and grassland vegetation is raising the impact of fire severity and...
