Communications Earth & Environment

Abstract There is growing evidence that extreme precipitation intensifies as the climate warms, increasing the likelihood of unprecedented extreme precipitation events (UEPEs). Assessing the risks of these events requires integrating climate projections with socioeconomic factors that shape exposure and vulnerability. Using an integrative framework, we find that low-income countries face a dispro…

Abstract Airborne chemical communication is vital for insect survival and reproduction, yet its vulnerability to anthropogenic air pollution is poorly understood. We investigate how the physicochemical properties of alarm and sex pheromones influence their atmospheric persistence under pristine and polluted conditions. Using a volatility basis set framework, we show that alarm pheromones—small, v…

African droughts are becoming more frequent and severe, but whether their underlying behavior is also changing remains unclear. Here, we combine observational climate data from the Climatic Research Unit with a 16-member climate model ensemble from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 to examine drought dynamics across four African regions. Using drought-event characteristics, persis…

As global temperatures rise, widespread warming and fewer cold extremes are generally observed. However, using the metric “temperature drop days”, we identify hemispheric divergent trends in winter cold weather over the past four decades. North America experiences increasing temperature drop days, whereas Europe sees a decline, forming a “Cold North America–Warm Europe” pattern. These opposing tr…

Abstract Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica is losing ice rapidly and is considered especially vulnerable to retreat, but predictions of its future remain limited by uncertainties about its subglacial properties. Here we show results from 344 km of vibroseismic surveys collected along and across the glacier. The data reveal a heterogeneous bed of elevated ridges with steep upstream-facing slopes…

Many small coastal plain watersheds have experienced extensive land clearing and increased sediment loading as coastal populations expand, yet microtidal marsh platforms are failing to keep pace with sea-level rise while adjacent subtidal areas are infilling. Here, we developed sub-decadal records of sedimentation from the shoreline into the salt marsh in watersheds with distinct land-use histori…

Flash droughts can lead to more severe reductions in crop productivity compared to slow-onset droughts. However, the diverse pathways of flash drought impact on crop yield remains unclear. Here, we assessed the effects of flash drought on crops in the United States, and disentangled the soil moisture and atmospheric stress pathways. Four datasets consistently identify intensified and prolonged fl…

Abstract Remote forest landscapes provide critical references for understanding ecosystem functions (EFs) under low anthropogenic pressure, yet their capacity to sustain multiple EFs simultaneously remains poorly understood. We assessed landscape multifunctionality in western Patagonia by integrating satellite indicators, field data, and spatial modeling. Six EFs (carbon storage, nutrient availab…

China has expanded forest cover through the world’s largest afforestation initiative and the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP), yet national fragmentation trends remain uncertain because most assessments aggregate forest types. Here we map fragmentation dynamics of natural and planted forests across China (1990–2020) using composite structural and connectivity metrics. Planted forest fragm…

Abstract The melt season length of the Arctic sea ice is an important indicator and driver of large changes occurring in the climate system. Since 1979 the melt season has lengthened by ~40 days, driven mostly by delayed freeze onset (~ 34 days) compared to earlier melt onset (~ 7 days). However, since 2010 the melt season length has stabilized (~ 108 days), showing no consistent change over the …

As global warming accelerates, questions arise about whether the climate system can revert to its original state as CO2 concentrations decrease. Delayed summer season recovery has important implications for heatwaves, wildfires, and socio-environmental risks. Using multiple climate models with CO2 ramp-up and ramp-down simulations, here we show that summer season duration in extratropical lands e…