Microtopography effect on grassland response to extreme drought

During climate change, long-term changes in the climatic means (pressure) and more frequent extreme events (pulses) have interactive effects on the composition and species richness of vegetation. In this proposed research we investigate the effect of microtopography on sand grassland sensitivity to long-term changes and the unprecedented extreme drought of 2022, which caused mass grass dieback in central Hungary, including the KISKUN LTER site. We hypothesise that the microtopography of sand dunes can spatially diversify the impact of extreme drought. Thus, preserving or restoring microtopography could contribute to the long-term persistence of grasslands in an era of changing climate.