# Susceptibility to Photosynthesis Suppression From Extreme Storms Is Highly Site‐Dependent

## TL;DR

Extreme storms affect photosynthesis differently depending on the location's characteristics, not just storm intensity.

## Contribution

The study shows that site-specific factors, not storm intensity, best predict photosynthesis responses to extreme storms.

## Key findings

- Photosynthesis responses to extreme storms are better explained by site characteristics than storm intensity.
- Storms causing waterlogging are as common as those alleviating stress, but only certain sites experience suppressed photosynthesis.
- Site-specific factors like soil texture and vegetation density heavily influence storm impacts on photosynthesis.

## Abstract

Extreme storms are becoming more intense and frequent under climate change. Although these extreme wet events are smaller in extent and duration than drought events, recent evidence suggests the global impact of both extremes is similar. However, the impact of individual extreme storms on photosynthesis—and therefore on vegetation and the carbon cycle—remains difficult to predict, as photosynthesis may be suppressed via waterlogging or increased by the alleviation of moisture stress. Here, we use random forest models to calculate daily photosynthesis anomalies attributable to extreme soil moisture using data from 54 FLUXNET sites across the globe. We hypothesize that photosynthesis' response to a given extreme event is primarily controlled by storm intensity, and to a lesser degree by site vegetation, climate, soil, and topography. However, we find instead that photosynthesis responses are better explained by site characteristics (soil texture, climate, topography, and vegetation density) than by storm intensity, such that the likelihood of waterlogging from a given storm is heavily site‐dependent. Although storms that induce waterlogging are roughly as common as those that induce stress alleviation overall, photosynthesis rarely declines at sites not prone to waterlogging. Instead, photosynthesis anomalies at these sites show a much weaker relationship with storm intensity. Increasingly intense storms are therefore unlikely to impact all locations equally. This highlights the potential to use site characteristics to enhance prediction of storm effects on ecosystems and the land carbon sink.

Extreme storms are becoming more intense and frequent under climate change. However, the impact of individual extreme storms on photosynthesis—and therefore on vegetation and the carbon cycle—remains difficult to predict. Here, we use random forest models to calculate daily photosynthesis anomalies attributable to extreme soil moisture using data from 54 FLUXNET sites across the globe. We find that photosynthesis responses are better explained by site characteristics than by storm intensity, such that the likelihood of waterlogging from a given storm is heavily site‐dependent. Increasingly intense storms under climate change are therefore unlikely to impact all locations equally.