Expansion of high-latitude deciduous forests
Description: Expansion of high-latitude deciduous forests driven by interactions between climate warming and fire Zelalem A. Mekonnen, William J. Riley, James T. Randerson, Robert F. Grant, and Brendan M. Rogers, 2019, Nature Plants Background: One of
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slide1. Expansion of high-latitude deciduous forests driven by interactions between climate warming and fire Zelalem A. Mekonnen, William J. Riley, James T. Randerson, Robert F. Grant, and Brendan M. Rogers, 2019, Nature Plants Background: One of the most defining characteristics of boreal forests in the ABoVE domain is the relative dominance of conifers versus deciduous trees, which determines a suite of ecosystem functions and services. Alaskan forests have historically been dominated by conifers, but this is changing due to climate change and associated fire regimes.
Analysis: We applied a well-tested mechanistic model, ecosys, to Alaskan ecosystems and examined how plant functional types respond to projected 21st century changes in climate and fire regimes.
Findings:
Consistent with observations during the Holocene, changes in 21st century climate and wildfire regimes altered vegetation composition and ecosystem function across Alaska.
The relative dominance of deciduous plants nearly doubled, accounting for 58% of Alaska ecosystem net primary productivity by 2100.
Changes were driven by the interactions between warming, wildfire, and associated nutrient cycling.
Significance:
Deciduous trees were predicted to dominate northern boreal forest ecosystems, and shrubs increased in much of the Arctic tundra.
Ongoing expansion of deciduous vegetation will affect the region’s carbon cycle, surface energy fluxes, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services. Change in deciduous dominance by 2100 (%) Simulation without fire Simulation with fire<br>
Analysis: We applied a well-tested mechanistic model, ecosys, to Alaskan ecosystems and examined how plant functional types respond to projected 21st century changes in climate and fire regimes.
Findings:
Consistent with observations during the Holocene, changes in 21st century climate and wildfire regimes altered vegetation composition and ecosystem function across Alaska.
The relative dominance of deciduous plants nearly doubled, accounting for 58% of Alaska ecosystem net primary productivity by 2100.
Changes were driven by the interactions between warming, wildfire, and associated nutrient cycling.
Significance:
Deciduous trees were predicted to dominate northern boreal forest ecosystems, and shrubs increased in much of the Arctic tundra.
Ongoing expansion of deciduous vegetation will affect the region’s carbon cycle, surface energy fluxes, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services. Change in deciduous dominance by 2100 (%) Simulation without fire Simulation with fire<br>