Ecosystem resistance and resilience across environmental gradients under heat and water stress in Australia revealed by satellite observations

Huanhuan Wang

doi:10.26182/6e2v-yz15

Ecosystem resistance and resilience across environmental gradients under heat and water stress in Australia revealed by satellite observations

Huanhuan Wang

School of Engineering

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis

49 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Terrestrial ecosystems support carbon storage and ecosystem services, but increasing climate extremes threaten ecosystem stability. Resistance and resilience describe how ecosystems withstand disturbance and recover, yet current understanding is largely based on site-level studies. This thesis develops a spatial resistance–resilience framework to evaluate how environmental gradients, disturbance history, and subsurface constraints regulate ecosystem responses. Across the North Australian Tropical Transect, resistance and resilience to water stress varied along rainfall gradients and were influenced by dominant vegetation type and antecedent fire. In the Jarrah Forest, subsurface constraints amplified drought and heat stress, highlighting interactions among climate, vegetation and subsurface conditions.

Original language	English
Qualification	Doctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution	The University of Western Australia
Supervisors/Advisors	Xie, Qiaoyun, Supervisor Moore, Caitlin, Supervisor Thompson, Sally, Supervisor
Award date	16 Jul 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.26182/6e2v-yz15
Publication status	Unpublished - 2026

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10.26182/6e2v-yz15

THESIS - DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - WANG Huanhuan - 2026
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3 Article

Satellite evidence of reduced resistance and resilience to water stress after antecedent fire across a rainfall gradient in northern Australia
Wang, H., Xie, Q., Thompson, S. E. & Moore, C. E., Aug 2026, In: International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. 152, 10 p., 105478.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
Satellite observations reveal ecosystem resistance and resilience to short-term water stress driven by dominant vegetation along a rainfall gradient in Australia
Wang, H., Xie, Q., E. Thompson, S., Moore, C. E., Miller, D. L., Veneklaas, E. J., Silberstein, R. P., Li, X., Xiao, J., Medlyn, B. E. & Smith, W. K., 1 Jan 2026, In: Remote Sensing of Environment. 332, 14 p., 115046.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
5 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)
Subsurface constraints amplify vegetation stress during extreme heat and drought in a Mediterranean forest
Wang, H., Xie, Q., Thompson, S. E., Moore, C. E., Mcgrath, G. S. & Ruthrof, K. X., 1 Dec 2025, In: Environmental Research Letters. 20, 12, 11 p., 124029.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
3 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)

Cite this

@phdthesis{2209fa4884e340868987f86a57f6a918,

title = "Ecosystem resistance and resilience across environmental gradients under heat and water stress in Australia revealed by satellite observations",

abstract = "Terrestrial ecosystems support carbon storage and ecosystem services, but increasing climate extremes threaten ecosystem stability. Resistance and resilience describe how ecosystems withstand disturbance and recover, yet current understanding is largely based on site-level studies. This thesis develops a spatial resistance{\textendash}resilience framework to evaluate how environmental gradients, disturbance history, and subsurface constraints regulate ecosystem responses. Across the North Australian Tropical Transect, resistance and resilience to water stress varied along rainfall gradients and were influenced by dominant vegetation type and antecedent fire. In the Jarrah Forest, subsurface constraints amplified drought and heat stress, highlighting interactions among climate, vegetation and subsurface conditions.",

keywords = "Ecosystem resistance, Ecosystem resilience, Water stress, Heat stress, Drought, NATT, Remote sensing, Flux, Australia",

author = "Huanhuan Wang",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.26182/6e2v-yz15",

language = "English",

school = "The University of Western Australia",

}

TY - BOOK

T1 - Ecosystem resistance and resilience across environmental gradients under heat and water stress in Australia revealed by satellite observations

AU - Wang, Huanhuan

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Terrestrial ecosystems support carbon storage and ecosystem services, but increasing climate extremes threaten ecosystem stability. Resistance and resilience describe how ecosystems withstand disturbance and recover, yet current understanding is largely based on site-level studies. This thesis develops a spatial resistance–resilience framework to evaluate how environmental gradients, disturbance history, and subsurface constraints regulate ecosystem responses. Across the North Australian Tropical Transect, resistance and resilience to water stress varied along rainfall gradients and were influenced by dominant vegetation type and antecedent fire. In the Jarrah Forest, subsurface constraints amplified drought and heat stress, highlighting interactions among climate, vegetation and subsurface conditions.

AB - Terrestrial ecosystems support carbon storage and ecosystem services, but increasing climate extremes threaten ecosystem stability. Resistance and resilience describe how ecosystems withstand disturbance and recover, yet current understanding is largely based on site-level studies. This thesis develops a spatial resistance–resilience framework to evaluate how environmental gradients, disturbance history, and subsurface constraints regulate ecosystem responses. Across the North Australian Tropical Transect, resistance and resilience to water stress varied along rainfall gradients and were influenced by dominant vegetation type and antecedent fire. In the Jarrah Forest, subsurface constraints amplified drought and heat stress, highlighting interactions among climate, vegetation and subsurface conditions.

KW - Ecosystem resistance

KW - Ecosystem resilience

KW - Water stress

KW - Heat stress

KW - Drought

KW - NATT

KW - Remote sensing

KW - Flux

KW - Australia

U2 - 10.26182/6e2v-yz15

DO - 10.26182/6e2v-yz15

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

ER -

Ecosystem resistance and resilience across environmental gradients under heat and water stress in Australia revealed by satellite observations

Abstract

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Research output

Satellite evidence of reduced resistance and resilience to water stress after antecedent fire across a rainfall gradient in northern Australia

Satellite observations reveal ecosystem resistance and resilience to short-term water stress driven by dominant vegetation along a rainfall gradient in Australia

Subsurface constraints amplify vegetation stress during extreme heat and drought in a Mediterranean forest

Cite this