Feedbacks of Vegetation on Summertime Climate Variability over the North American Grasslands. Part I: Statistical Analysis

ABSTRACT: Feedbacks of vegetation on summertime climate variability over the North American Grasslands are analyzed using the statistical technique of Granger causality. Results indicate that normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) anomalies early in the growing season have a statistically measurable effect on precipitation and surface temperature later in summer. In particular, higher means and/or decreasing trends of NDVI anomalies tend t