The Impacts of Extreme Drought on Grassland Primary Productivity

The severity and frequency of extreme droughts have increased dramatically due to global change, often causing devastating consequences because of their high intensity. Grasslands, which cover approximately 40% of Earth's surface and provide essential resources and services to humanity, are particularly sensitive to changes in precipitation. With models predicting a rising probability of drought events in many regions worldwide, it is increasingly crucial to understand their impacts on grassland ecosystems to accurately assess ecosystem resistance to climate change and predict future ecosystem functionality. While previous studies have shown that extreme droughts often lead to significant declines in grassland productivity, key questions remain unanswered: What are the overarching patterns at larger spatial scales? How do these responses evolve over time? And how do grasslands recover after extreme drought events? To address these questions, we conducted a coordinated, distributed experiment to explore the relationship between productivity sensitivity to drought and mean annual precipitation, the multi-year effects of extreme drought on grassland productivity, and the resilience of productivity in the aftermath of extreme drought.