A new global dataset of phase synchronization of temperature and precipitation: Its climatology and contribution to global vegetation productivity

Abstract

Besides cumulative temperature and precipitation, the phase synchronization of temperature and precipitation also helps to regulate vegetation distribution and productivity across global lands. However, the phase synchronization has been rarely considered in previous studies related to climate and biogeography due to a lack of a robust and quantitative approach. In this study, we proposed a synchronization index of temperature and precipitation (SI-TaP) and then investigated its global spatial distribution, interannual fluctuation, and long-term trend derived from a global 60-year dataset of meteorological forcings. Further investigation was conducted to understand the relationship between SI-TaP and the annually summed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which could be a proxy of terrestrial vegetation productivity. Results show differences in both spatial patterns and temporal variations between SI-TaP and air temperature and precipitation, but SI-TaP may help to explain the distribution and productivity of terrestrial vegetation. About 60% of regions where annually summed NDVI is greater than half of its maximum value overlap regions where SI-TaP is greater than half of its maximum value. By using SI-TaP to explain vegetation productivity along with temperature and precipitation, the maximum increase in the coefficient of determination is 0.66 across global lands. Results from this study suggest that the proposed SI-TaP index is helpful to better understand climate change and its relation to the biota.