What is the effect of drought on vegetation dynamics in the Pyrenees?

Abstract

Droughts are a huge trend in our global living system. Due to climate change, droughts will become more frequent and more severe. In this thesis, the correlation between vegetation and droughts was examined using remote sensing. It was found that drought duration was most important, followed by drought timing. Severity was also important, but not as important as the other factors. Elevation plays a crucial role, due to the drought paradox at high elevation where the impact of droughts was less. Land use also plays an important factor: shallow-rooted land use, like grasses and crops, is vulnerable, whereas shrubs and trees are more resilient.