Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions
Variations in the productivity of subnivean vegetation can substantially affect the ecology of regions more susceptible to increasing warming levels and lead to significant feedback effects on the global climate. Due to its importance, this topic is at the center of a broad scope of interdisciplinar...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/5/927 |
| _version_ | 1797263872007077888 |
|---|---|
| author | Gladimir V. G. Baranoski Petri M. Varsa |
| author_facet | Gladimir V. G. Baranoski Petri M. Varsa |
| author_sort | Gladimir V. G. Baranoski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Variations in the productivity of subnivean vegetation can substantially affect the ecology of regions more susceptible to increasing warming levels and lead to significant feedback effects on the global climate. Due to its importance, this topic is at the center of a broad scope of interdisciplinary studies supported by field and remote sensing observations. However, the current knowledge about environmental factors affecting the penetration of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) through snow is still constrained by the paucity of transmittance data. In this work, we aim to further the understanding about these interconnected processes. We conduct a systematic investigation about the effects of independent and combined changes in key nivological characteristics, namely thickness, saturation, density and grain size, on snow transmittance in the photosynthetic spectral domain. Our investigation is carried out through controlled in silico (computational) experiments supported by measured radiometric data. Its outcomes unveil fundamental quantitative and qualitative trends related to the role played by these nivological characteristics on the spectral quality of transmitted PAR, which is quantified in terms of red to blue (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>B</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>), red to far-red (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and blue to far-red (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) ratios. These trends include increases in the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>B</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ratio as well as decreases in the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ratios following thickness reductions or grain size increases, with opposite variations in these ratios being observed for saturation or density increases. Accordingly, the pairing of our findings with in situ and remotely collected information contributes to cement the scientific foundation required for the effective assessment of cause-effect loops linking accentuated vegetation greening to accelerated rates of snow cover recession. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:19:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49d53af5083f4644a7b81e6fc0ad8755 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:19:54Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-49d53af5083f4644a7b81e6fc0ad87552024-03-12T16:54:28ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922024-03-0116592710.3390/rs16050927Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming ConditionsGladimir V. G. Baranoski0Petri M. Varsa1Natural Phenomena Simulation Group, D.R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaNatural Phenomena Simulation Group, D.R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, CanadaVariations in the productivity of subnivean vegetation can substantially affect the ecology of regions more susceptible to increasing warming levels and lead to significant feedback effects on the global climate. Due to its importance, this topic is at the center of a broad scope of interdisciplinary studies supported by field and remote sensing observations. However, the current knowledge about environmental factors affecting the penetration of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) through snow is still constrained by the paucity of transmittance data. In this work, we aim to further the understanding about these interconnected processes. We conduct a systematic investigation about the effects of independent and combined changes in key nivological characteristics, namely thickness, saturation, density and grain size, on snow transmittance in the photosynthetic spectral domain. Our investigation is carried out through controlled in silico (computational) experiments supported by measured radiometric data. Its outcomes unveil fundamental quantitative and qualitative trends related to the role played by these nivological characteristics on the spectral quality of transmitted PAR, which is quantified in terms of red to blue (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>B</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>), red to far-red (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and blue to far-red (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) ratios. These trends include increases in the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>B</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ratio as well as decreases in the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>F</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ratios following thickness reductions or grain size increases, with opposite variations in these ratios being observed for saturation or density increases. Accordingly, the pairing of our findings with in situ and remotely collected information contributes to cement the scientific foundation required for the effective assessment of cause-effect loops linking accentuated vegetation greening to accelerated rates of snow cover recession.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/5/927snowphotosynthetically active radiationtransmittancespectral qualityvegetation |
| spellingShingle | Gladimir V. G. Baranoski Petri M. Varsa Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions Remote Sensing snow photosynthetically active radiation transmittance spectral quality vegetation |
| title | Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions |
| title_full | Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions |
| title_short | Environmentally Induced Snow Transmittance Variations in the Photosynthetic Spectral Domain: Photobiological Implications for Subnivean Vegetation under Climate Warming Conditions |
| title_sort | environmentally induced snow transmittance variations in the photosynthetic spectral domain photobiological implications for subnivean vegetation under climate warming conditions |
| topic | snow photosynthetically active radiation transmittance spectral quality vegetation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/5/927 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gladimirvgbaranoski environmentallyinducedsnowtransmittancevariationsinthephotosyntheticspectraldomainphotobiologicalimplicationsforsubniveanvegetationunderclimatewarmingconditions AT petrimvarsa environmentallyinducedsnowtransmittancevariationsinthephotosyntheticspectraldomainphotobiologicalimplicationsforsubniveanvegetationunderclimatewarmingconditions |