Relationships between regional primary production and vegetation patterns

Linear relationships between increases in regional primary productivity to possible future climate change and vegetation patterns are derived. These relationships are applied to the simulated productivities and vegetation distributions in China under altered climate scenarios projected by seven general circulation models (GCM). The results of analysis indicate that the relationships hold valid for different resolution of analysis. Patchiness of vegetation distribution can explain more than 50% of changes in vegetation distribution and changes in structural responses of primary production, and thus is an important index to quantify vegetation responses to possible future climate change. Patchiness can accelerate either degradation or recovery of a vegetation type, depending on whether altered climate conditions are adverse or favorable for the vegetation type. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.