Land–atmosphere interactions in sub-polar and alpine climates in the CORDEX Flagship Pilot Study Land Use and Climate Across Scales (LUCAS) models – Part 2: The role of changing vegetation

Abstract. Land cover in sub-polar and alpine regions of northern eastern Europe have already begun changing due to natural anthropogenic changes such as afforestation. This will impact the regional climate hydrology upon which societies these are highly reliant. study aims identify impacts afforestation/reforestation (hereafter afforestation) on snow snow-albedo effect highlight potential improvements for future model development. The uses an ensemble nine models two different idealised experiments covering a 30-year period; one experiment replaces most land with forest, while other all forested areas grass. consists composed combinations five atmospheric six surface models. Results show that afforestation reduces sensitivity index enhances snowmelt. While direction change is robustly modelled, there still uncertainty magnitude change. greatest differences between emerge snowmelt season. One shows consistent three simulations during accumulation period but differs Together results point need further development representing both grass–snow forest–snow interactions Pathways accomplishing this include (1) more sophisticated representation forest structure, (2) kilometre-scale simulations, (3) observational studies vegetation–snow Europe.