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Banda LB, Dejene SW, Mzumara TI, McCarthy C, Pangapanga‐Phiri I. An ensemble model predicts an upward range shift of the endemic and endangered Yellow-throated Apalis ( Apalis flavigularis) under future climate change in Malawi. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11283. [PMID: 38623518 PMCID: PMC11017464 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change poses a significant threat to endemic and endangered montane bird species with limited elevation and temperature ranges. Understanding their responses to changes in climate is essential for informing conservation actions. This study focused on the montane dwelling Yellow-throated Apalis (Apalis flavigularis) in Malawi, aiming to identify key factors affecting its distribution and predicting its potential distribution under different climate change scenarios. Using an ensemble species distribution modeling approach, we found that the mean temperature of the driest quarter (Bio9), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (Bio8), and precipitation seasonality (Bio15) were the most important variables that influenced the distribution of this species. Across future climate scenarios, the species' geographic range declined where range losses varied from 57.74% (2050 RCP 6.0) to 82.88% (2070 RCP 6.0). We estimate its current range size to be 549 km2 which is lower than some previous estimates of its spatial distribution. Moreover, our projections indicate that under future climate scenarios, the species will shift to higher elevations with a large proportion of suitable areas located outside forests, posing challenges for adaptation. Our results suggest that the species may be under greater threat than previously thought; hence, urgent conservation actions are required. We recommend reinforcing the protection of areas predicted to remain suitable under future climate scenarios and the development of a species conservation action plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumbani Benedicto Banda
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources ManagementLilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR)LilongweMalawi
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity ConservationHaramaya UniversityDire DawaEthiopia
| | - Sintayehu W. Dejene
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity ConservationHaramaya UniversityDire DawaEthiopia
- College of Agriculture and Environmental SciencesHaramaya UniversityDire DawaEthiopia
| | - Tiwonge I. Mzumara
- Department of Biological SciencesMalawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)LimbeMalawi
| | - Christopher McCarthy
- Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and SciencesJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMassachusettsUSA
| | - Innocent Pangapanga‐Phiri
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources ManagementLilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR)LilongweMalawi
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2
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Wei L, Sanczuk P, De Pauw K, Caron MM, Selvi F, Hedwall PO, Brunet J, Cousins SAO, Plue J, Spicher F, Gasperini C, Iacopetti G, Orczewska A, Uria-Diez J, Lenoir J, Vangansbeke P, De Frenne P. Using warming tolerances to predict understory plant responses to climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17064. [PMID: 38273565 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is pushing species towards and potentially beyond their critical thermal limits. The extent to which species can cope with temperatures exceeding their critical thermal limits is still uncertain. To better assess species' responses to warming, we compute the warming tolerance (ΔTniche ) as a thermal vulnerability index, using species' upper thermal limits (the temperature at the warm limit of their distribution range) minus the local habitat temperature actually experienced at a given location. This metric is useful to predict how much more warming species can tolerate before negative impacts are expected to occur. Here we set up a cross-continental transplant experiment involving five regions distributed along a latitudinal gradient across Europe (43° N-61° N). Transplant sites were located in dense and open forests stands, and at forest edges and in interiors. We estimated the warming tolerance for 12 understory plant species common in European temperate forests. During 3 years, we examined the effects of the warming tolerance of each species across all transplanted locations on local plant performance, in terms of survival, height, ground cover, flowering probabilities and flower number. We found that the warming tolerance (ΔTniche ) of the 12 studied understory species was significantly different across Europe and varied by up to 8°C. In general, ΔTniche were smaller (less positive) towards the forest edge and in open stands. Plant performance (growth and reproduction) increased with increasing ΔTniche across all 12 species. Our study demonstrated that ΔTniche of understory plant species varied with macroclimatic differences among regions across Europe, as well as in response to forest microclimates, albeit to a lesser extent. Our findings support the hypothesis that plant performance across species decreases in terms of growth and reproduction as local temperature conditions reach or exceed the warm limit of the focal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Wei
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Coastal Zones, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Pieter Sanczuk
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Karen De Pauw
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Maria Mercedes Caron
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
- European Forest Institute-Mediterranean Facility, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Federico Selvi
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Per-Ola Hedwall
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Jörg Brunet
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Sara A O Cousins
- Landscapes, Environment and Geomatics, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Plue
- Department of Urban and Rural Development, SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre (CBM), Institutionen för stad och land, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fabien Spicher
- UMR CNRS 7058 Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Cristina Gasperini
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Giovanni Iacopetti
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Anna Orczewska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Jaime Uria-Diez
- Department of Forest Sciences, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Derio, Spain
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UMR CNRS 7058 Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Pieter Vangansbeke
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
- Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pieter De Frenne
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
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3
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Zhang H, Liu F, Zhang J. Using composite system index to identify China's ecological and socio-economic transition zone. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1057271. [PMID: 36483960 PMCID: PMC9723357 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1057271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Regions with synthetic geographical gradients tend to exhibit distinct ecological transitions. As a compound ecosystem, transition zone can provide a basis for decision-making in the sustainable ecological management by investigating its boundary and complexity. To determine the characteristics of the transition zone where natural ecological and socio-economic factors interact, a conceptual framework and a quantitative identification method for the ecotone of coupled human and natural systems have been proposed. The composite system index can be used to ascertain the coupling intensity, coupling direction, and ecological transition of the system. Taking China as an example, this study showed evidence of the existence of a tremendous amount of ecological and socio-economic transition zone (complex coupled areas) between the east and west of China, and sporadic ecotone in other regions of the country. This transition zone accounted for about 1/4 of China's land surface area, and had a fragile environment that faced challenges of environmental protection and economic development. In the area across the Hu Line, human and natural factors jointly explain a low proportion of the variance in ecological and socio-economic transition zone (the complexity of coupled systems, with 62.01% of unexplained proportion higher than that in other regions). In this region, the topographic position index was the critical element associated with the transition zone, and accounted for nearly 20% of the variation of composite system index. The discovery and characterization of the ecological and socio-economic transition zone is crucial for understanding its uncertainty and diversity and the complex of coupled ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinying Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Institute of Land Surveying and Mapping, Jinan, China
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4
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Andrews C, Foster JR, Weiskittel A, D'Amato AW, Simons‐Legaard E. Integrating historical observations alters projections of eastern North American spruce–fir habitat under climate change. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Andrews
- US Geologic Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Flagstaff Arizona USA
- University of Maine Center for Research on Sustainable Forests Orono Maine USA
| | - Jane R. Foster
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Aiken Center University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA
| | - Aaron Weiskittel
- University of Maine Center for Research on Sustainable Forests Orono Maine USA
| | - Anthony W. D'Amato
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Aiken Center University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA
| | - Erin Simons‐Legaard
- University of Maine Center for Research on Sustainable Forests Orono Maine USA
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5
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Pastore MA, Classen AT, D'Amato AW, Foster JR, Adair EC. Cold-air pools as microrefugia for ecosystem functions in the face of climate change. Ecology 2022; 103:e3717. [PMID: 35388477 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cold-air pooling is a global phenomenon that frequently sustains low temperatures in sheltered, low-lying depressions and valleys and drives other key environmental conditions, such as soil temperature, soil moisture, vapor pressure deficit, frost frequency, and winter dynamics. Local climate patterns in areas prone to cold-air pooling are partly decoupled from regional climates and thus may be buffered from macroscale climate change. There is compelling evidence from studies across the globe that cold-air pooling impacts plant communities and species distributions, making these decoupled microclimate areas potentially important microrefugia for species under climate warming. Despite interest in the potential for cold-air pools to enable species persistence under warming, studies investigating the effects of cold-air pooling on ecosystem processes are scarce. Because local temperatures and vegetation composition are critical drivers of ecosystem processes like carbon cycling and storage, cold-air pooling may also act to preserve ecosystem functions. We review research exploring the ecological impacts of cold-air pooling with a focus on vegetation, and then present a new conceptual framework in which cold-air pooling creates feedbacks between species and ecosystem properties that generate unique hotspots for carbon accrual in some systems relative to areas more vulnerable to regional climate change impacts. Finally, we describe key steps to motivate future research investigating the potential for cold-air pools to serve as microrefugia for ecosystem functions under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Pastore
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.,Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Aimée T Classen
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, USA
| | - Anthony W D'Amato
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Jane R Foster
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - E Carol Adair
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.,Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
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6
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Smyers SD, Jones MT, Willey LL, Tadevosyan T, Martinez J, Cormier K, Kemmett DB. Calling Phenology in Rana sylvatica (Wood Frog) at High-Elevation Ponds in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.s1109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Joe Martinez
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Kyle Cormier
- Oxbow Associates, Inc., PO Box 971, Acton, MA 01720
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7
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Publicover DA, Kimball KD, Poppenwimer CJ. Northeastern High-Elevation Areas: Ecological Values and Conservation Priorities. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.s1108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Kimball KD, Weihrauch DM, Murray GL. Understanding Northeastern US Alpine Mountains: Context, Causal Agents of Treeline, and Meteorology to Approximate Their Response to Climate Change. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.s1106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth D. Kimball
- Appalachian Mountain Club (retired), Research Department, PO Box 596, Jackson, NH 03846
| | - Douglas M. Weihrauch
- Appalachian Mountain Club (former alpine ecologist), Research Department, 38 Coolidge Avenue, Northampton, MA 01060
| | - Georgia L.D. Murray
- Appalachian Mountain Club (staff scientist), Research Department, PO Box 298, Gorham, NH 03581
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9
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Howard TG, White K, Goren J. Thirteen Years of Rare Plant Population Changes in the Adirondack Alpine. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.s1103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy G. Howard
- New York Natural Heritage Program, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4757
| | - Kayla White
- Adirondack High Peaks Summit Stewardship Program, Adirondack Mountain Club, PO Box 867, Lake Placid, NY 12946
| | - Julia Goren
- Adirondack High Peaks Summit Stewardship Program, Adirondack Mountain Club, PO Box 867, Lake Placid, NY 12946
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10
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Vellend M, Béhé M, Carteron A, Crofts AL, Danneyrolles V, Gamhewa HT, Ni M, Rinas CL, Watts DA. Plant Responses to Climate Change and an Elevational Gradient in Mont Mégantic National Park, Québec, Canada. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.s1102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Vellend
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Mélanie Béhé
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Alexis Carteron
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale, Centre sur la Biodiversité, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Anna L. Crofts
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Victor Danneyrolles
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Hasanki T. Gamhewa
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Ming Ni
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Christina L. Rinas
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - David A. Watts
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
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11
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Wason J, Battles J, Berdugo MB, Casson P, Tourville J, Dovciak M. Sentinel Research Sites in Global Change Research: Whiteface Mountain, New York. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.s1104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jay Wason
- School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469
| | - John Battles
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Monica B. Berdugo
- Ecological Plant Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Marburg, Marburg 35037, Germany
| | - Paul Casson
- Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12203
| | - Jordon Tourville
- Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY–ESF), Syracuse, NY 13210
| | - Martin Dovciak
- Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY–ESF), Syracuse, NY 13210
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12
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Weiskopf SR, Rubenstein MA, Crozier LG, Gaichas S, Griffis R, Halofsky JE, Hyde KJW, Morelli TL, Morisette JT, Muñoz RC, Pershing AJ, Peterson DL, Poudel R, Staudinger MD, Sutton-Grier AE, Thompson L, Vose J, Weltzin JF, Whyte KP. Climate change effects on biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and natural resource management in the United States. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 733:137782. [PMID: 32209235 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is a pervasive and growing global threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. Here, we present the most up-to-date assessment of climate change impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services in the U.S. and implications for natural resource management. We draw from the 4th National Climate Assessment to summarize observed and projected changes to ecosystems and biodiversity, explore linkages to important ecosystem services, and discuss associated challenges and opportunities for natural resource management. We find that species are responding to climate change through changes in morphology and behavior, phenology, and geographic range shifts, and these changes are mediated by plastic and evolutionary responses. Responses by species and populations, combined with direct effects of climate change on ecosystems (including more extreme events), are resulting in widespread changes in productivity, species interactions, vulnerability to biological invasions, and other emergent properties. Collectively, these impacts alter the benefits and services that natural ecosystems can provide to society. Although not all impacts are negative, even positive changes can require costly societal adjustments. Natural resource managers need proactive, flexible adaptation strategies that consider historical and future outlooks to minimize costs over the long term. Many organizations are beginning to explore these approaches, but implementation is not yet prevalent or systematic across the nation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Weiskopf
- U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center, Reston, VA, USA.
| | | | - Lisa G Crozier
- NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sarah Gaichas
- NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Roger Griffis
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jessica E Halofsky
- University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Toni Lyn Morelli
- U.S. Geological Survey Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Morisette
- U.S. Department of the Interior, National Invasive Species Council Secretariat, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Roldan C Muñoz
- NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | | | - David L Peterson
- University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Michelle D Staudinger
- U.S. Geological Survey Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Ariana E Sutton-Grier
- University of Maryland Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Laura Thompson
- U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center, Reston, VA, USA
| | - James Vose
- U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station, Raleigh, NC, USA
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13
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Han H, He H, Wu Z, Cong Y, Zong S, He J, Fu Y, Liu K, Sun H, Li Y, Yu C, Xu J. Non-Structural Carbohydrate Storage Strategy Explains the Spatial Distribution of Treeline Species. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9030384. [PMID: 32244958 PMCID: PMC7154803 DOI: 10.3390/plants9030384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Environmental factors that drive carbon storage are often used as an explanation for alpine treeline formation. However, different tree species respond differently to environmental changes, which challenges our understanding of treeline formation and shifts. Therefore, we selected Picea jezoensis and Betula ermanii, the two treeline species naturally occurring in Changbai Mountain in China, and measured the concentration of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), soluble sugars and starch in one-year-old leaves, shoots, stems and fine roots at different elevations. We found that compared with P. jezoensis, the NSC and soluble sugars concentrations of leaves and shoots of B. ermanii were higher than those of P. jezoensis, while the starch concentration of all the tissues were lower. Moreover, the concentration of NSC, soluble sugars and starch in the leaves of B. ermanii decreased with elevation. In addition, the starch concentration of B. ermanii shoots, stems and fine roots remained at a high level regardless of whether the soluble sugars concentration decreased. Whereas the concentrations of soluble sugars and starch in one-year-old leaves, shoots and stems of P. jezoensis responded similarly changes with elevation. These findings demonstrate that compared with P. jezoensis, B. ermanii has a higher soluble sugars/starch ratio, and its shoots, stems and fine roots actively store NSC to adapt to the harsh environment, which is one of the reasons that B. ermanii can be distributed at higher altitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hudong Han
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Hongshi He
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Correspondence: (H.H.); (Z.W.); Tel.: +1-573-882-7717 (H.H.); +86-0431-8509-9244 (Z.W.)
| | - Zhengfang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
- Correspondence: (H.H.); (Z.W.); Tel.: +1-573-882-7717 (H.H.); +86-0431-8509-9244 (Z.W.)
| | - Yu Cong
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Shengwei Zong
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Jianan He
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Yuanyuan Fu
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Kai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (H.H.); (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Changbao Yu
- Changbai Mountain Nature Conservation Management Center, Erdaobaihe 133613, China
| | - Jindan Xu
- Changbai Mountain Nature Conservation Management Center, Erdaobaihe 133613, China
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14
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Loehle C. Quantifying species’ geographic range changes: conceptual and statistical issues. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Craig Loehle
- NCASI 1258 Windemere Avenue Naperville Illinois 60564 USA
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15
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Verrico BM, Weiland J, Perkins TD, Beckage B, Keller SR. Long‐term monitoring reveals forest tree community change driven by atmospheric sulphate pollution and contemporary climate change. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy Weiland
- Plant Biology Department University of Vermont Burlington VT USA
| | | | - Brian Beckage
- Plant Biology Department University of Vermont Burlington VT USA
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16
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Duclos TR, DeLuca WV, King DI. Direct and indirect effects of climate on bird abundance along elevation gradients in the Northern Appalachian mountains. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R. Duclos
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Massachusetts
| | - William V. DeLuca
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Massachusetts
| | - David I. King
- Northern Research Station USDA Forest Service Amherst Massachusetts
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17
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Analysis of Climate Change Impacts on Tree Species of the Eastern US: Results of DISTRIB-II Modeling. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10040302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Forests across the globe are faced with a rapidly changing climate and an enhanced understanding of how these changing conditions may impact these vital resources is needed. Our approach is to use DISTRIB-II, an updated version of the Random Forest DISTRIB model, to model 125 tree species individually from the eastern United States to quantify potential current and future habitat responses under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 8.5 -high emissions which is our current trajectory and RCP 4.5 -lower emissions by implementing energy conservation) and three climate models. Climate change could have large impacts on suitable habitat for tree species in the eastern United States, especially under a high emissions trajectory. On average, of the 125 species, approximately 88 species would gain and 26 species would lose at least 10% of their suitable habitat. The projected change in the center of gravity for each species distribution (i.e., mean center) between current and future habitat moves generally northeast, with 81 species habitat centers potentially moving over 100 km under RCP 8.5. Collectively, our results suggest that many species will experience less pressure in tracking their suitable habitats under a path of lower greenhouse gas emissions.
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18
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Danneyrolles V, Dupuis S, Fortin G, Leroyer M, de Römer A, Terrail R, Vellend M, Boucher Y, Laflamme J, Bergeron Y, Arseneault D. Stronger influence of anthropogenic disturbance than climate change on century-scale compositional changes in northern forests. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1265. [PMID: 30894543 PMCID: PMC6426862 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09265-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting future ecosystem dynamics depends critically on an improved understanding of how disturbances and climate change have driven long-term ecological changes in the past. Here we assembled a dataset of >100,000 tree species lists from the 19th century across a broad region (>130,000km2) in temperate eastern Canada, as well as recent forest inventories, to test the effects of changes in anthropogenic disturbance, temperature and moisture on forest dynamics. We evaluate changes in forest composition using four indices quantifying the affinities of co-occurring tree species with temperature, drought, light and disturbance. Land-use driven shifts favouring more disturbance-adapted tree species are far stronger than any effects ascribable to climate change, although the responses of species to disturbance are correlated with their expected responses to climate change. As such, anthropogenic and natural disturbances are expected to have large direct effects on forests and also indirect effects via altered responses to future climate change. Separating anthropogenic and climatic impacts on forest compositions can be challenging due to a lack of data. Here the authors look at forest compositional changes in eastern Canada since the 19th century and find land use has most strongly shaped communities towards disturbance-adapted species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Danneyrolles
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada. .,Chaire industrielle CRSNG-UQAT-UQAM en Aménagement Forestier Durable, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X 5E4, Canada. .,Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada.
| | - Sébastien Dupuis
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Gabriel Fortin
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Marie Leroyer
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - André de Römer
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Raphaële Terrail
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Mark Vellend
- Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada.,Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Yan Boucher
- Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada.,Direction de la recherche forestière, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Québec, QC, G1P 3W8, Canada
| | - Jason Laflamme
- Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada.,Direction des inventaires forestiers, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Québec, QC, G1H 6R1, Canada
| | - Yves Bergeron
- Chaire industrielle CRSNG-UQAT-UQAM en Aménagement Forestier Durable, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X 5E4, Canada.,Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada
| | - Dominique Arseneault
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada.,Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Montréal, QC, H2X 1Y4, Canada
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19
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Parks SA, Dobrowski SZ, Shaw JD, Miller C. Living on the edge: trailing edge forests at risk of fire‐facilitated conversion to non‐forest. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sean A. Parks
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute Rocky Mountain Research Station US Forest Service 790 E. Beckwith Avenue Missoula Montana 59801 USA
| | - Solomon Z. Dobrowski
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - John D. Shaw
- Forest Inventory and Analysis Rocky Mountain Research Station 507 25th Street Ogden Utah 84322 USA
| | - Carol Miller
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute Rocky Mountain Research Station US Forest Service 790 E. Beckwith Avenue Missoula Montana 59801 USA
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20
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Takahashi K. Virtual issue: Alpine and subalpine plant communities: importance of plant growth, reproduction and community assemblage processes for changing environments. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2018; 131:891-894. [PMID: 30264281 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-018-1065-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Natural plant communities are exposed to environmental changes such as global warming and increased human activities. It is thought that alpine and subalpine ecosystems with cool climatic conditions are sensitive to environmental changes. This virtual issue introduces multidisciplinary research at alpine and subalpine plant communities. The articles include research on (1) species diversity, vegetation and biomass, (2) species assembly, (3) climate and growth of alpine plants, (4) reproduction of alpine plants, (5) differences of growth traits among coexisting species, (6) vegetation changes by human activities and overgrazing of deer, and (7) differentiation of growth traits among ecotypes in relation to climatic conditions. These thirteen articles provide valuable information for future research on the effects of environmental changes on alpine and subalpine plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Takahashi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, Asahi 3-1-1, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan.
- Institute of Mountain Science, Shinshu University, Asahi 3-1-1, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan.
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21
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Kosiba AM, Schaberg PG, Rayback SA, Hawley GJ. The surprising recovery of red spruce growth shows links to decreased acid deposition and elevated temperature. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 637-638:1480-1491. [PMID: 29801241 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Following growth declines and increased mortality linked to acid deposition-induced calcium depletion, red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in the northeastern United States are experiencing a recovery. We found that more than 75% of red spruce trees and 90% of the plots examined in this study exhibited increasing growth since 2001. To understand this change, we assessed the relationship between red spruce radial growth and factors that may influence growth: tree age and diameter, stand dynamics, plot characteristics (elevation, slope, aspect, geographical position), and a suite of environmental variables (temperature, precipitation, climate and precipitation indices (degree days, SPEI [standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index], and acid deposition [SO42-, NO3-, pH of rainfall, cation:anion ratio of rainfall]) for 52 plots (658 trees) from five states (spanning 2.5°N × 5°W). Examining the growth relationships from 1925 to 2012, we found that while there was variability in response to climate and acid deposition (limited to 1980-2012) by elevation and location, plot and tree factors did not adequately explain growth. Higher temperatures outside the traditional growing season (e.g., fall, winter, and spring) were related to increased growth. Nitrogen deposition (1980-2012) was associated with lower growth, but the strength of this relationship has lessened over time. Overall, we predict sustained favorable conditions for red spruce in the near term as acid deposition continues to decline and non-traditional growing season (fall through spring) temperatures moderate, provided that overall temperatures and precipitation remain adequate for growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Kosiba
- The University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Paul G Schaberg
- Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Northern Research Station, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Shelly A Rayback
- The University of Vermont, Department of Geography, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Gary J Hawley
- The University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
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22
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Du H, Liu J, Li MH, Büntgen U, Yang Y, Wang L, Wu Z, He HS. Warming-induced upward migration of the alpine treeline in the Changbai Mountains, northeast China. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:1256-1266. [PMID: 29080270 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Treeline responses to environmental changes describe an important phenomenon in global change research. Often conflicting results and generally too short observations are, however, still challenging our understanding of climate-induced treeline dynamics. Here, we use a state-of-the-art dendroecological approach to reconstruct long-term changes in the position of the alpine treeline in relation to air temperature at two sides in the Changbai Mountains in northeast China. Over the past 160 years, the treeline increased by around 80 m, a process that can be divided into three phases of different rates and drives. The first phase was mainly influenced by vegetation recovery after an eruption of the Tianchi volcano in 1702. The slowly upward shift in the second phase was consistent with the slowly increasing temperature. The last phase coincided with rapid warming since 1985, and shows with 33 m per 1°C, the most intense upward shift. The spatial distribution and age structure of trees beyond the current treeline confirm the latest, warming-induced upward shift. Our results suggest that the alpine treeline will continue to rise, and that the alpine tundra may disappear if temperatures will increase further. This study not only enhances mechanistic understanding of long-term treeline dynamics, but also highlights the effects of rising temperatures on high-elevation vegetation dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Du
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jie Liu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Mai-He Li
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Ulf Büntgen
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Geography, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Global Change Research Institute CAS, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Yue Yang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Zhengfang Wu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hong S He
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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23
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Wason JW, Dovciak M. Tree demography suggests multiple directions and drivers for species range shifts in mountains of Northeastern United States. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:3335-3347. [PMID: 27935175 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to lead to upslope shifts in tree species distributions, but the evidence is mixed partly due to land-use effects and individualistic species responses to climate. We examined how individual tree species demography varies along elevational climatic gradients across four states in the northeastern United States to determine whether species elevational distributions and their potential upslope (or downslope) shifts were controlled by climate, land-use legacies (past logging), or soils. We characterized tree demography, microclimate, land-use legacies, and soils at 83 sites stratified by elevation (~500 to ~1200 m above sea level) across 12 mountains containing the transition from northern hardwood to spruce-fir forests. We modeled elevational distributions of tree species saplings and adults using logistic regression to test whether sapling distributions suggest ongoing species range expansion upslope (or contraction downslope) relative to adults, and we used linear mixed models to determine the extent to which climate, land use, and soil variables explain these distributions. Tree demography varied with elevation by species, suggesting a potential upslope shift only for American beech, downslope shifts for red spruce (more so in cool regions) and sugar maple, and no change with elevation for balsam fir. While soils had relatively minor effects, climate was the dominant predictor for most species and more so for saplings than adults of red spruce, sugar maple, yellow birch, cordate birch, and striped maple. On the other hand, logging legacies were positively associated with American beech, sugar maple, and yellow birch, and negatively with red spruce and balsam fir - generally more so for adults than saplings. All species exhibited individualistic rather than synchronous demographic responses to climate and land use, and the return of red spruce to lower elevations where past logging originally benefited northern hardwood species indicates that land use may mask species range shifts caused by changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay W Wason
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect St., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Martin Dovciak
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
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24
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Rogers BM, Jantz P, Goetz SJ. Vulnerability of eastern US tree species to climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:3302-3320. [PMID: 27935162 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to alter the distribution of tree species because of critical environmental tolerances related to growth, mortality, reproduction, disturbances, and biotic interactions. How this is realized in 21st century remains uncertain, in large part due to limitations on plant migration and the impacts of landscape fragmentation. Understanding these changes is of particular concern for forest management, which requires information at an appropriately fine spatial resolution. Here we provide a framework and application for tree species vulnerability to climate change in the eastern United States that accounts for influential drivers of future distributions. We used species distribution models to project changes in habitat suitability at 800 m for 40 tree species that vary in physiology, range, and environmental niche. We then developed layers of adaptive capacity based on migration potential, forest fragmentation, and propagule pressure. These were combined into metrics of vulnerability, including an overall index and spatially explicit categories designed to inform management. Despite overall favorable changes in suitability, the majority of species and the landscape were considered vulnerable to climate change. Vulnerability was significantly exacerbated by projections of pests and pathogens for some species. Northern and high-elevation species tended to be the most vulnerable. There were, however, some notable areas of particular resilience, including most of West Virginia. Our approach combines some of the most important considerations for species vulnerability in a straightforward framework, and can be used as a tool for managers to prioritize species, areas, and actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan M Rogers
- Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA, USA
| | - Patrick Jantz
- Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA, USA
| | - Scott J Goetz
- Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA, USA
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25
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Copenhaver‐Parry PE, Shuman BN, Tinker DB. Toward an improved conceptual understanding of North American tree species distributions. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryan N. Shuman
- Program in Ecology and Department of Geology & Geophysics University of Wyoming 1000 E. University Avenue Laramie Wyoming 82071 USA
| | - Daniel B. Tinker
- Program in Ecology and Department of Botany University of Wyoming 1000 E. University Avenue Laramie Wyoming 82071 USA
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26
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Urli M, Brown CD, Narváez Perez R, Chagnon PL, Vellend M. Increased seedling establishment via enemy release at the upper elevational range limit of sugar maple. Ecology 2017; 97:3058-3069. [PMID: 27870043 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The enemy release hypothesis is frequently invoked to explain invasion by nonnative species, but studies focusing on the influence of enemies on natural plant range expansion due to climate change remain scarce. We combined multiple approaches to study the influence of plant-enemy interactions on the upper elevational range limit of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) in southeastern Québec, Canada, where a previous study had demonstrated intense seed predation just beyond the range limit. Consistent with the hypothesis of release from natural enemies at the range limit, data from both natural patterns of regeneration and from seed and seedling transplant experiments showed higher seedling densities at the range edge than in the core of the species' distribution. A growth chamber experiment manipulating soil origin and temperature indicated that this so-called "happy edge" was not likely caused by temperature (i.e., the possibility that climate warming has made high elevation temperatures optimal for sugar maple) or by abiotic soil factors that vary along the elevational gradient. Finally, an insect-herbivore-exclusion experiment showed that insect herbivory was a major cause of seedling mortality in the core of sugar maple's distribution, whereas seedlings transplanted at or beyond the range edge experienced minimal herbivory (i.e., enemy release). Insect herbivory did not completely explain the high levels of seedling mortality in the core of the species' distribution, suggesting that seedlings at or beyond the range edge may also experience release from pathogens. In sum, while some effects of enemies are magnified beyond range edges (e.g., seed predation), others are dampened at and beyond the range edge (e.g., insect herbivory), such that understanding the net outcome of different biotic interactions within, at and beyond the edge of distribution is critical to predicting species' responses to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Urli
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada.,Direction de la Recherche Forestière, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 2700 Einstein, Québec, Québec, G1P 3W8, Canada.,Centre d'étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, Case Postale 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Carissa D Brown
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada.,Department of Geography, Memorial University, 230 Elizabeth Avenue, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Rosela Narváez Perez
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Pierre-Luc Chagnon
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Mark Vellend
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada
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27
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Ralston J, DeLuca WV, Feldman RE, King DI. Population trends influence species ability to track climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:1390-1399. [PMID: 27650480 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Shifts of distributions have been attributed to species tracking their fundamental climate niches through space. However, several studies have now demonstrated that niche tracking is imperfect, that species' climate niches may vary with population trends, and that geographic distributions may lag behind rapid climate change. These reports of imperfect niche tracking imply shifts in species' realized climate niches. We argue that quantifying climate niche shifts and analyzing them for a suite of species reveal general patterns of niche shifts and the factors affecting species' ability to track climate change. We analyzed changes in realized climate niche between 1984 and 2012 for 46 species of North American birds in relation to population trends in an effort to determine whether species differ in the ability to track climate change and whether differences in niche tracking are related to population trends. We found that increasingly abundant species tended to show greater levels of niche expansion (climate space occupied in 2012 but not in 1980) compared to declining species. Declining species had significantly greater niche unfilling (climate space occupied in 1980 but not in 2012) compared to increasing species due to an inability to colonize new sites beyond their range peripheries after climate had changed at sites of occurrence. Increasing species, conversely, were better able to colonize new sites and therefore showed very little niche unfilling. Our results indicate that species with increasing trends are better able to geographically track climate change compared to declining species, which exhibited lags relative to changes in climate. These findings have important implications for understanding past changes in distribution, as well as modeling dynamic species distributions in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Ralston
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - William V DeLuca
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Richard E Feldman
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130 Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo. CP 97200, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - David I King
- Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 201 Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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28
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Wason JW, Dovciak M, Beier CM, Battles JJ. Tree growth is more sensitive than species distributions to recent changes in climate and acidic deposition in the northeastern United States. J Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jay W. Wason
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; Yale University; New Haven CT USA
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology; State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF); Syracuse NY USA
| | - Martin Dovciak
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology; State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF); Syracuse NY USA
| | - Colin M. Beier
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management; State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF); Syracuse NY USA
| | - John J. Battles
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management; University of California; Berkeley CA USA
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29
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Beauregard F, Blois S. Rapid latitudinal range expansion at cold limits unlikely for temperate understory forest plants. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frieda Beauregard
- Department of Plant ScienceMcGill School of EnvironmentMcGill University 21,111 Lakeshore Road Sainte Anne‐de‐Bellevue Quebec H9X 3V9 Canada
| | - Sylvie Blois
- Department of Plant ScienceMcGill School of EnvironmentMcGill University 21,111 Lakeshore Road Sainte Anne‐de‐Bellevue Quebec H9X 3V9 Canada
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30
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Clark JS, Iverson L, Woodall CW, Allen CD, Bell DM, Bragg DC, D'Amato AW, Davis FW, Hersh MH, Ibanez I, Jackson ST, Matthews S, Pederson N, Peters M, Schwartz MW, Waring KM, Zimmermann NE. The impacts of increasing drought on forest dynamics, structure, and biodiversity in the United States. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2016; 22:2329-2352. [PMID: 26898361 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We synthesize insights from current understanding of drought impacts at stand-to-biogeographic scales, including management options, and we identify challenges to be addressed with new research. Large stand-level shifts underway in western forests already are showing the importance of interactions involving drought, insects, and fire. Diebacks, changes in composition and structure, and shifting range limits are widely observed. In the eastern US, the effects of increasing drought are becoming better understood at the level of individual trees, but this knowledge cannot yet be confidently translated to predictions of changing structure and diversity of forest stands. While eastern forests have not experienced the types of changes seen in western forests in recent decades, they too are vulnerable to drought and could experience significant changes with increased severity, frequency, or duration in drought. Throughout the continental United States, the combination of projected large climate-induced shifts in suitable habitat from modeling studies and limited potential for the rapid migration of tree populations suggests that changing tree and forest biogeography could substantially lag habitat shifts already underway. Forest management practices can partially ameliorate drought impacts through reductions in stand density, selection of drought-tolerant species and genotypes, artificial regeneration, and the development of multistructured stands. However, silvicultural treatments also could exacerbate drought impacts unless implemented with careful attention to site and stand characteristics. Gaps in our understanding should motivate new research on the effects of interactions involving climate and other species at the stand scale and how interactions and multiple responses are represented in models. This assessment indicates that, without a stronger empirical basis for drought impacts at the stand scale, more complex models may provide limited guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Clark
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Louis Iverson
- Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 359 Main Road, Delaware, OH, 43015, USA
| | | | - Craig D Allen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Jemez Mountains Field Station, Los Alamos, NM, 87544, USA
| | - David M Bell
- Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Don C Bragg
- Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Monticello, AR, 71656, USA
| | - Anthony W D'Amato
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, 04E Aiken Center, 81 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Frank W Davis
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Michelle H Hersh
- Department of Biology, Sarah Lawrence College, New York, NY, 10708, USA
| | - Ines Ibanez
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 2546 Dana Building, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Stephen T Jackson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Climate Science Center and Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1064 E. Lowell St., PO Box 210137, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Stephen Matthews
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | | | - Matthew Peters
- Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Delaware, OH, 43015, USA
| | - Mark W Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Kristen M Waring
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, USA
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31
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Foster JR, Finley AO, D'Amato AW, Bradford JB, Banerjee S. Predicting tree biomass growth in the temperate-boreal ecotone: Is tree size, age, competition, or climate response most important? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2016; 22:2138-2151. [PMID: 26717889 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
As global temperatures rise, variation in annual climate is also changing, with unknown consequences for forest biomes. Growing forests have the ability to capture atmospheric CO2 and thereby slow rising CO2 concentrations. Forests' ongoing ability to sequester C depends on how tree communities respond to changes in climate variation. Much of what we know about tree and forest response to climate variation comes from tree-ring records. Yet typical tree-ring datasets and models do not capture the diversity of climate responses that exist within and among trees and species. We address this issue using a model that estimates individual tree response to climate variables while accounting for variation in individuals' size, age, competitive status, and spatially structured latent covariates. Our model allows for inference about variance within and among species. We quantify how variables influence aboveground biomass growth of individual trees from a representative sample of 15 northern or southern tree species growing in a transition zone between boreal and temperate biomes. Individual trees varied in their growth response to fluctuating mean annual temperature and summer moisture stress. The variation among individuals within a species was wider than mean differences among species. The effects of mean temperature and summer moisture stress interacted, such that warm years produced positive responses to summer moisture availability and cool years produced negative responses. As climate models project significant increases in annual temperatures, growth of species like Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Picea glauca will vary more in response to summer moisture stress than in the past. The magnitude of biomass growth variation in response to annual climate was 92-95% smaller than responses to tree size and age. This means that measuring or predicting the physical structure of current and future forests could tell us more about future C dynamics than growth responses related to climate change alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane R Foster
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Andrew O Finley
- Department of Forestry and Geography, Michigan State University, 126 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Anthony W D'Amato
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, 204E Aiken Center, 81 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - John B Bradford
- US Geological Survey - Southwest Biological Science Center, Northern Arizona University, Building 20, P.O. Box 5614, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Sudipto Banerjee
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA School of Public Health, Room 51-254B CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA
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32
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Abrams MD, Nowacki GJ. An interdisciplinary approach to better assess global change impacts and drought vulnerability on forest dynamics. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 36:421-427. [PMID: 26941289 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpw005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marc D Abrams
- 307 Forest Resources Building, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Gregory J Nowacki
- Eastern Regional Office, USDA Forest Service, 626 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202, USA
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