Brunet, Jörg
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
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.
Published in
Science
2020, volume: 368, number: 6492, pages: 772-775
Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE
SLU Authors
Global goals (SDG)
SDG13 Climate action
SDG15 Life on land
UKÄ Subject classification
Forest Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba6880
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/106488