Can We Find a Human Fingerprint Based on Bioclimatic Estimates?

Different vegetation classification schemes based on observed and simulated characteristics of the annual cycles of continental temperature and precipitation have been used in the past to 1) evaluate the performance of each CMIP3 or CMIP5 model in simulating biologically important features of regional temperature and precipitation; 2) understand the possible extensions, contractions or shifts in vegetation types throughout the globe in response to global warming. Here, we will investigate if we can 1) identify a human fingerprint in these bioclimatic estimates and 2) understand the nature and causes of recent shifts that can be observed from these bioclimatic estimates.