Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study

The coevolution of hydrological and vegetation dynamics in semi-arid regions often leads to vegetation self-organisation (VSO). While numerous hypotheses on the ecohydrological processes driving VSO have been explored through mathematical models, these have struggled to capture the multiscale comple...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel, Pueyo, Yolanda, Hinz, Christoph
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/418974
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/418974
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105027642000
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Banded vegetation
Ecohydrology
Hillslope shape
Vegetation self-organisation
Water-limited ecosystem
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spelling Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling studyCaviedes-Voullième, DanielPueyo, YolandaHinz, ChristophBanded vegetationEcohydrologyHillslope shapeVegetation self-organisationWater-limited ecosystemThe coevolution of hydrological and vegetation dynamics in semi-arid regions often leads to vegetation self-organisation (VSO). While numerous hypotheses on the ecohydrological processes driving VSO have been explored through mathematical models, these have struggled to capture the multiscale complexity emerging from short-term surface runoff over heterogeneous topographies under variable rainfall. This limitation hinders understanding of how natural topography and rainfall variability shape long-term vegetation patterns. Previous studies suggest that intra-storm water redistribution at the hillslope scale – controlled by topography and storm intensity – plays a key role in VSO. However, these factors have rarely been considered together due to methodological constraints in numerical solvers. We argue that accurately representing these processes is essential to investigate their interactions. This study systematically examines the effects of hillslope topography and intra-annual rainfall distributions on vegetation band formation using a physically based model that couples the Zero-Inertia (Diffusive Wave) approximation of the shallow water equations with the HilleRisLambers–Rietkerk vegetation model. Idealised 30-year simulations were conducted at second-scale hydrodynamic resolution across different hillslope forms (plane, convex, concave), slopes, and rainfall regimes along a semi-arid gradient. Results show that both topography and rainfall variability strongly influence band formation through their control on water redistribution and hydrological balance. Steeper slopes enhance runoff over infiltration, reducing water availability and altering band geometry and migration. Concave hillslopes exhibit distinct runoff convergence and redistribution patterns compared to plane or convex slopes. Rainfall intermittency interacts with topography to further affect pattern stability and morphology. While both drivers shape pattern characteristics differently, their joint effects mainly influence band migration without providing a strong stabilising mechanism. These results demonstrate the feasibility of long-term, physically based ecohydrological simulations, paving the way for more comprehensive models including sediment transport and geomorphic feedbacks.Peer reviewedElsevierCaviedes-Voullième, Daniel [0000-0001-7871-7544]Pueyo, Yolanda [0000-0001-6970-7790]Hinz, Christoph [0000-0003-0691-7402]Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/418974https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105027642000reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)InglésThe underlying dataset has been published as supplementary material of the article in the publisher platform at DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109791https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109791Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/4189742026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
title Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
spellingShingle Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel
Banded vegetation
Ecohydrology
Hillslope shape
Vegetation self-organisation
Water-limited ecosystem
title_short Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
title_full Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
title_fullStr Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
title_full_unstemmed Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
title_sort Topography and rainfall variability shaping dryland vegetation self-organisation: Insights from a numerical modelling study
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel
Pueyo, Yolanda
Hinz, Christoph
author Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel
author_facet Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel
Pueyo, Yolanda
Hinz, Christoph
author_role author
author2 Pueyo, Yolanda
Hinz, Christoph
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel [0000-0001-7871-7544]
Pueyo, Yolanda [0000-0001-6970-7790]
Hinz, Christoph [0000-0003-0691-7402]
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Banded vegetation
Ecohydrology
Hillslope shape
Vegetation self-organisation
Water-limited ecosystem
topic Banded vegetation
Ecohydrology
Hillslope shape
Vegetation self-organisation
Water-limited ecosystem
description The coevolution of hydrological and vegetation dynamics in semi-arid regions often leads to vegetation self-organisation (VSO). While numerous hypotheses on the ecohydrological processes driving VSO have been explored through mathematical models, these have struggled to capture the multiscale complexity emerging from short-term surface runoff over heterogeneous topographies under variable rainfall. This limitation hinders understanding of how natural topography and rainfall variability shape long-term vegetation patterns. Previous studies suggest that intra-storm water redistribution at the hillslope scale – controlled by topography and storm intensity – plays a key role in VSO. However, these factors have rarely been considered together due to methodological constraints in numerical solvers. We argue that accurately representing these processes is essential to investigate their interactions. This study systematically examines the effects of hillslope topography and intra-annual rainfall distributions on vegetation band formation using a physically based model that couples the Zero-Inertia (Diffusive Wave) approximation of the shallow water equations with the HilleRisLambers–Rietkerk vegetation model. Idealised 30-year simulations were conducted at second-scale hydrodynamic resolution across different hillslope forms (plane, convex, concave), slopes, and rainfall regimes along a semi-arid gradient. Results show that both topography and rainfall variability strongly influence band formation through their control on water redistribution and hydrological balance. Steeper slopes enhance runoff over infiltration, reducing water availability and altering band geometry and migration. Concave hillslopes exhibit distinct runoff convergence and redistribution patterns compared to plane or convex slopes. Rainfall intermittency interacts with topography to further affect pattern stability and morphology. While both drivers shape pattern characteristics differently, their joint effects mainly influence band migration without providing a strong stabilising mechanism. These results demonstrate the feasibility of long-term, physically based ecohydrological simulations, paving the way for more comprehensive models including sediment transport and geomorphic feedbacks.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/418974
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105027642000
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/418974
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105027642000
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv The underlying dataset has been published as supplementary material of the article in the publisher platform at DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109791
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109791
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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