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Homogenization of the terrestrial water cycle

Land-use and land-cover changes are accelerating. Such changes can homogenize the water cycle and undermine planetary resilience. Policymakers and practitioners must consider water–vegetation interactions in their land-management decisions.

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Fig. 1: Conceptual diagrams showing the differences in the water cycle of natural vegetation and monocultures.
Fig. 2: Forest sustainability potential over time.

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Acknowledgements

This paper stems from the Ettersburg Ecohydrology Workshop (October 2018). Funding was provided by the UNIDEL Foundation, Inc. and the University of Delaware.

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Correspondence to Delphis F. Levia.

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Levia, D.F., Creed, I.F., Hannah, D.M. et al. Homogenization of the terrestrial water cycle. Nat. Geosci. 13, 656–658 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-0641-y

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