Brunet, Jörg
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2020Peer reviewedOpen access
Zellweger, Florian; De Frenne, Pieter; Lenoir, Jonathan; Vangansbeke, Pieter; Verheyen, Kris; Bernhardt-Roemermann, Markus; Baeten, Lander; Hedl, Radim; Berki, Imre; Brunet, Jorg; Van Calster, Hans; Chudomelova, Marketa; Decocq, Guillaume; Dirnboeck, Thomas; Durak, Tomasz; Heinken, Thilo; Jaroszewicz, Bogdan; Kopecky, Martin; Malis, Frantisek; Macek, Martin;
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Climate warming is causing a shift in biological communities in favor of warm-affinity species (i.e., thermophilization). Species responses often lag behind climate warming, but the reasons for such lags remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed multidecadal understory microclimate dynamics in European forests and show that thermophilization and the climatic lag in forest plant communities are primarily controlled by microclimate. Increasing tree canopy cover reduces warming rates inside forests, but loss of canopy cover leads to increased local heat that exacerbates the disequilibrium between community responses and climate change. Reciprocal effects between plants and microclimates are key to understanding the response of forest biodiversity and functioning to climate and land-use changes.
Science
2020, Volume: 368, number: 6492, pages: 772-775
Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE
SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
SDG13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Forest Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba6880
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/106488