Impacts of Land Use/Land Cover Change on Climate and Future Research Priorities

TLDR

Land use and land cover change (LULCC) detection is essential for understanding its climate impacts, yet accurate monitoring at appropriate scales remains challenging, and the US Climate Reference Network (USCRN) offers valuable near‑surface temperature data to aid this effort. The study recommends that the National Climatic Data Center and other climate monitoring agencies develop plans and secure funding to correct monitoring biases and conduct detailed analyses. USCRN collects temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, and ground or skin temperature to support LULCC climate impact studies.

Abstract

Several recommendations have been proposed for detecting land use and land cover change (LULCC) on the environment from, observed climatic records and to modeling to improve its understanding and its impacts on climate. Researchers need to detect LULCCs accurately at appropriate scales within a specified time period to better understand their impacts on climate and provide improved estimates of future climate. The US Climate Reference Network (USCRN) can be helpful in monitoring impacts of LULCC on near-surface atmospheric conditions, including temperature. The USCRN measures temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, and ground or skin temperature. It is recommended that the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and other climate monitoring agencies develop plans and seek funds to address any monitoring biases that are identified and for which detailed analyses have not been completed.