Satellite‐Observed Major Greening and Biomass Increase in South China Karst During Recent Decade

A significant greening and biomass increase has been observed in the South China Karst region, one of the largest globally, despite declining rainfall and soil moisture. Satellite data from 1999 to 2017 revealed a rise in vegetation cover from 69% to 81%, covering approximately 1.4 million km². This phenomenon, attributed to large-scale forestry and conservation efforts since 2002, has had profound implications for ecosystem services such as carbon storage, water filtration, and timber production. The study highlights the potential of national conservation policies in mitigating deforestation and climate change impacts on natural resources.

Brandt, M., Yue, Y., Wigneron, J. P., Tong, X., Tian, F., Jepsen, M. R., Xiao, X., Verger, A., Mialon, A., Al‐Yaari, A., Wang, K., & Fensholt, R. (2018). Satellite‐Observed Major Greening and Biomass Increase in South China Karst During Recent Decade. Earth’s Future, 6(7), 1017–1028. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018ef000890