Predicting effects of climate change on productivity and persistence of forest trees. Issue 4 (18th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kramer, Russell D.; Ishii, H. Roaki; Carter, Kelsey R.; Miyazaki, Yuko; Cavaleri, Molly A.; Araki, Masatake G.; Azuma, Wakana A.; Inoue, Yuta; Hara, Chinatsu
• Other Names: Miki Takeshi guestEditor.; Nakamura Masahiro guestEditor.; Matsui Kazuaki guestEditor.; Mizoguchi Hazime guestEditor.; Tamaki Emi guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Ecological research. Volume 35:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 562
• Page End: 574
• Publication Date: 2020-05-18
• Subjects: canopy structure -- climate adaptation -- physiological acclimation -- population dynamics -- reproduction; Ecology -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Japan -- Periodicals; Écologie; Japon; Ecology; Japan; Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12127
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0912-3814

Abstract

Abstract: Global climate change increases uncertainty in sustained functioning of forest ecosystems. Forest canopies are a key link between terrestrial ecosystems, the atmosphere, and climate. Here, we introduce research presented at the 66th meeting of the Ecological Society of Japan in the symposium "Structure and function of forest canopies under climate change." Old‐growth forest carbon stores are the largest and may be the most vulnerable to climate change as the balance between sequestration and emission could easily be tipped. Detailed structural analysis of individual large, old trees shows they are allocating wood to the trunk and crown in patterns that cannot be deduced from ground, thus can be used to more accurately quantify total forest carbon and sequestration. Slowly migrating species sensitive to novel climatic conditions will have to acclimate at the individual level. Accounting for physiological responses of trees to climate change will improve predictions of future species distributions and subsequent functioning of forest ecosystems. Field experiments manipulating temperature and precipitation show how trees compensate physiologically to mitigate for higher temperatures and drought. However, it is difficult to measure acclimation responses over long timeframes. Intraindividual trait variation is proposed as an indicator of acclimation potential of trees to future conditions and suggests that acclimation potential may vary among regional populations within a species. Integrating whole‐tree structural data with physiological data offers a promising avenue for understanding how trees will respond to climatic shifts. Abstract : Climate change will affect physiological function of forest canopies, which could to geographical processes. Being slow‐migrating, sessile organisms, extant trees will have to acclimate to climate change in situ or, in some extreme cases, face mortality and ultimately local extinction resulting in ecosystem shifts. We discuss possible effects of climate change on forest canopy ecophysiology and ideas for integrating current knowledge to tree and forest level to achieve more accurate prediction.