Snowmelt velocity predicts vegetation green-wave velocity in mountainous ecological systems of North America

Donal O'Leary III, David I. Inouye, Ralph Dubayah, Chengquan Huang, George C. Hurtt

Abstract: Highlights•A novel method to calculate green wave velocity from remotely sensed imagery.•Continental analysis of North America finds regional patterns in resource waves.•Green wave velocity is preceded by and correlated with snowmelt velocity.•Mountains have the strongest relationships between snowmelt and green wave velocity.