Xue et al. (2026) Advancing satellite-driven monitoring of phenological responses to extreme climatic events in the Alpine space

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-03
• Authors: Chenli Xue, Aurora Ghirardelli, Jianping Chen, Paolo Tarolli, Francesco Pirotti
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111497

Research Groups

• China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources
• School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences
• Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova
• Interdepartmental Research Center of Geomatics, University of Padova

Short Summary

This study analyzed the impact of extreme climatic events on plant phenology in the Alpine space using satellite-driven monitoring. The results showed that heatwaves led to an earlier onset of SOS primarily in western high-altitude areas, while extreme droughts caused LOS anomalies across different regions.

Objective

• Investigate the effects of climate extremes (heatwaves and droughts) on plant phenology in the Alpine space
• Analyze the spatial patterns between climate extremes and LOS anomalies

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The study area covers the entire Alpine Space, including multiple nations in central Europe.
• Temporal Scale: The study period spans 23 years (2001 to 2023).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Double logistic function for extracting vegetation phenological indices from MODIS NDVI data.
• Data sources: MODIS NDVI products, ERA5-Land reanalysis dataset, FLDAS soil moisture data.

Main Results

• Heatwaves led to an earlier onset of SOS primarily in western high-altitude areas (-0.23 to -0.41 days yr⁻¹).
• Extreme droughts caused LOS anomalies across different regions.
• Coincidence analysis between climate extremes and LOS anomalies showed a strong association between heatwaves, extreme droughts, and LOS anomalies.

Contributions

• This study advances understanding of the mixed effects of extreme droughts and heatwaves on plant phenology in the Alpine Space.
• The results highlight the importance of considering spatial context when analyzing vegetation responses to climate change.

Funding

• Not specified.

Citation

@article{Xue2026Advancing,
  author = {Xue, Chenli and Ghirardelli, Aurora and Chen, Jianping and Tarolli, Paolo and Pirotti, Francesco},
  title = {Advancing satellite-driven monitoring of phenological responses to extreme climatic events in the Alpine space},
  journal = {Agricultural and Forest Meteorology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111497},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111497}
}