The impact of drought on soil moisture trends across Brazilian biomes

Over the past decade, Brazil has experienced severe droughts across its territory, with important implications for soil moisture dynamics. Soil moisture variability has a direct impact on agriculture, water security and ecosystem services. Nevertheless, there is currently little information on how soil moisture across different biomes responds to drought. In this study, we used satellite soil moisture data from the European Space Agency, from 2009 to 2015, to analyze differences in soil moisture responses to drought for each biome of Brazil: Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pampa and Pantanal. We found an overall soil moisture decline of -0.5% yr(-1) (p < 0.01) at the national level. At the biome level, Caatinga presented the most severe soil moisture decline (-4.4% yr(-1)), whereas the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes showed no significant trend. The Amazon biome showed no trend but had a sharp reduction of soil moisture from 2013 to 2015. In contrast, the Pampa and Pantanal biomes presented a positive trend (1.6% yr(-1) and 4.3% yr(-1), respectively). These trends are consistent with vegetation productivity trends across each biome. This information provides insights into drought risk reduction and soil conservation activities to minimize the impact of drought in the most vulnerable biomes. Furthermore, improving our understanding of soil moisture trends during periods of drought is crucial to enhance the national drought early warning system and develop customized strategies for adaptation to climate change in each biome.

Automated summary

This study analyzed soil moisture responses to drought across different biomes in Brazil using satellite data. Results showed an overall decline in soil moisture at the national level, with different trends observed in each biome. This information can provide insights for drought risk reduction and soil conservation activities in vulnerable biomes.