A changing climate is snuffing out post‐fire recovery in montane forests

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 29(11), С. 2039 - 2051

Опубликована: Авг. 17, 2020

Abstract Aim Climate warming is increasing fire activity in many of Earth’s forested ecosystems. Because a catalyst for change, investigation post‐fire vegetation response critical to understanding the potential future conversions from forest non‐forest types. We characterized influences climate and terrain on tree regeneration assessed how these biophysical factors might shape vulnerability wildfire‐driven conversion. Location Montane forests, Rocky Mountains, USA. Time period 1981–2099. Taxa studied Pinus ponderosa ; Pseudotsuga menziesii . Methods developed database dendrochronological samples ( n = 717) plots 1,301) environments spanning range topoclimatic settings. then used statistical models predict annual seedling establishment suitability total abundance suite correlates. Finally, we reconstructed recent trends recovery projected dynamics using three general circulation (GCMs) under moderate extreme CO 2 emission scenarios. Results Though growing season (April–September) precipitation during (1981–2015) was positively associated with establishment, (2021–2099) were widely variable among GCMs, leading mixed projections suitability. In contrast, climatic water deficit (CWD), which indicative warm, dry conditions, negatively increase throughout southern Mountains future. Our findings suggest that increases CWD an increased frequency drought years will substantially reduce densities. Main conclusions This study highlights key roles drying declining resilience wildfire. Moisture stress, driven by macroclimate topographic setting, interact wildfire patterns

Язык: Английский

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Topoclimates, refugia, and biotic responses to climate change

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 18(5), С. 288 - 297

Опубликована: Июнь 1, 2020

Plant distributions are strongly influenced by both climate and topography. In an analysis of geographic topographic for selected tree species in California, we found that populations increasingly restricted to extreme positions as they approach the edge their ranges, occupying cooler, pole‐facing slopes (at warm dry edge) warmer, equator‐facing cool moist edge). At a local scale, across gradients also correlate with ranges (species occupy cooler locations within landscape have moister distributions, vice versa). Model outputs indicated on will experience population declines increases, respectively, response warmer drier future. As such, locations, which viewed refugia some contexts, may be most threatened anthropogenic change.

Язык: Английский

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Topographic, soil, and climate drivers of drought sensitivity in forests and shrublands of the Pacific Northwest, USA

Scientific Reports, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 10(1)

Опубликована: Окт. 28, 2020

Abstract Climate change is anticipated to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts, with major impacts ecosystems globally. Broad-scale assessments vegetation responses drought are needed anticipate, manage, potentially mitigate climate-change effects on ecosystems. We quantified sensitivity in Pacific Northwest, USA, as percent reduction greenness under droughts relative baseline moisture conditions. At a regional scale, shrub-steppe ecosystems—with drier climates lower biomass—showed greater than conifer forests. However, variability was considerable within biomes mediated by landscape topography, climate, soil characteristics. Drought generally areas higher elevation, bulk density. Ecosystems high included dry forests along ecotones shrublands, Rocky Mountain subalpine forests, cold upland sagebrush communities. In valley bottoms low density available water capacity showed reduced sensitivity, suggesting their potential refugia. These regional-scale drought-sensitivity patterns discerned from remote sensing can complement plot-scale studies plant physiological help inform climate-adaptation planning conditions intensify.

Язык: Английский

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Tamm Review: Postfire landscape management in frequent-fire conifer forests of the southwestern United States

Forest Ecology and Management, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 502, С. 119678 - 119678

Опубликована: Окт. 5, 2021

Язык: Английский

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Vegetation type conversion in the US Southwest: frontline observations and management responses

Fire Ecology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 18(1)

Опубликована: Май 19, 2022

Abstract Background Forest and nonforest ecosystems of the western United States are experiencing major transformations in response to land-use change, climate warming, their interactive effects with wildland fire. Some transitioning persistent alternative types, hereafter called “vegetation type conversion” (VTC). VTC is one most pressing management issues southwestern US, yet current strategies intervene address change often use trial-and-error approaches devised after fact. To better understand how manage VTC, we gathered managers, scientists, practitioners from across US collect experiences challenges, responses, outcomes. Results Participants two workshops provided 11 descriptive case studies 61 examples own field observations. These demonstrate extent complexity ecological reorganization region. High-severity fire was predominant driver semi-arid coniferous forests. By a large margin, these forests converted shrubland, fewer conversions native or non-native herbaceous communities. Chaparral sagebrush areas nearly always grasses through interactions among land use, climate, Management interventions attempted reverse changes, although found that efforts cover only small portion high-severity burn undergoing VTC. incurred long (>10 years) observational periods prior initiating interventions. Efforts facilitate were rare, but could spatial areas. Conclusions Our findings underscore conversion common outcome US. Ecosystem managers frontline observers far-reaching potentially making valuable further developing intervention research agendas. As its drivers increase appears increasingly likely many contexts may require paradigms transition as well. Approaches include new models desired conditions, experimentation by broader implementation adaptive strategies. Continuing support develop science-manager partnerships peer learning groups will help shape our ongoing rapid transformations.

Язык: Английский

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Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Managing Fire in a Changing Climate

Climate, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 10(4), С. 58 - 58

Опубликована: Апрель 8, 2022

As the effects of climate change accumulate and intensify, resource managers juggle existing goals new mandates to operationalize adaptation. Fire contend with direct on resources in addition climate-induced disruptions fire regimes subsequent ecosystem effects. In systems stressed by warming drying, increased activity amplifies pace scale severe disturbance events, heightening urgency for management action. are asked integrate information impacts their professional expertise determine how achieve objectives a changing altered regimes. This is difficult task, need support as they incorporate adaptation into planning operations. We present list strategies approaches specific based co-produced knowledge from science–management partnership pilot-tested two-day workshop natural regional stakeholders. “menu” flexible useful tool who connect dots between ecology, science, intent, implementation. It was created tested part an framework used widely across United States should be applicable many fire-prone forest ecosystems.

Язык: Английский

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“Forest fire emissions: A contribution to global climate change”

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 5

Опубликована: Ноя. 29, 2022

Forest fires are emitting substantial amounts of greenhouse gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere than assumed in state climate targets. It can play an important role combustible environments, such as shrublands, grasslands, forests, contribute to change. Thus, forest fire, change is intertwined concepts. As vegetation burns, release carbon stored within them. This main reason why large-scale atmospheric dioxide (CO 2 ) hence, responsible for increasing rate a great extent. extremely significant measure contribution global fire emissions trends gases. In this context, continental-scale assessments were primarily attempted using ground-based datasets ecosystem fires. Considerable research has been published employing remote sensing data from coast coast. While valuable, they have some restrictions that be overcome by sensing. Ground-based limited total burned area, with their completeness changing yearly location. Remote provide additional spatio-temporal information improve emission estimates. paper, factors driving brief discussion on triangular relationship between land degradation, change, Sensing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), machine learning (ML), critical overview state-of-the-art presented.

Язык: Английский

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Higher soil moisture increases microclimate temperature buffering in temperate broadleaf forests

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 345, С. 109828 - 109828

Опубликована: Дек. 1, 2023

Forest canopies can buffer the understory against temperature extremes, often creating cooler microclimates during warm summer days compared to temperatures outside forest. The buffering of maximum in results from a combination canopy shading and air cooling through soil water evaporation plant transpiration. Therefore, capacity forests depends on cover moisture content, which are increasingly affected by more frequent severe disturbances droughts. extent this will be maintained future conditions is unclear due lack understanding about relationship between interaction with topographic settings. We explored how variability affects offsets inside forest daily basis, using data 54 sites temperate broadleaf Central Europe over four climatically different seasons. Daily understories were average 2 °C than temperatures. was effective when higher, sensitive drier soils sun-exposed slopes high heat load. Based these results, soil–water limitation become prevalent under warmer likely lead changes communities. Thus, our highlight urgent need include models predictions microclimate, biodiversity tree regeneration, provide precise estimate effects climate change.

Язык: Английский

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Integrated Fire Management and Closer to Nature Forest Management at the Landscape Scale as a Holistic Approach to Foster Forest Resilience to Wildfires

Open Research Europe, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 4, С. 131 - 131

Опубликована: Янв. 10, 2025

Unprecedented wildfires are expected to remain a major challenge for Europe in the coming years due their increasing frequency and intensity. However, there is currently no standardized framework managing wildfire risk, with common definition of integrated risk management, lack consensus within sustainable forest over 20 synonyms semi-synonyms used Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), including among others, close-to-nature management. This open letter examines highlights importance implementing two key approaches, Integrated Fire Management (IFM) EU’s proposed approach Closer-To-Nature Forest (CTNFM) temporal spatial connectivity face climate change. The document discusses relevant management options address challenges, associated impacts such as degradation biodiversity loss. It emphasizes urgent need action by EU Member States light bottom-up (local regional national level), political commitment, public awareness these issues effectively. Key topics covered include adaptation strategies plant species, impact change land use on today’s uncharacteristic fire regimes conditions. Silvicultural closer-to-nature practices, where needed appropriate, promotion natural regeneration enhancement broadleaves, mixed stand composition strategic tree spacing examined means reduce spread fires wildfire-prone areas. also benefits landscape-scale that includes prevention, ecological resilience, habitat conservation resource Options presented policy makers stakeholders support through collaboration, enforcement, stewardship, monitoring capabilities, education, research support, international cooperation. integration IFM CTNFM can improve mitigation, preparedness, adaptive capacity, thereby promoting resilient landscapes communities long-term.

Язык: Английский

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Climate, vegetation, people: disentangling the controls of fire at different timescales

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 380(1924)

Опубликована: Апрель 1, 2025

Human activities have a major impact on fire regimes. that cause landscape fragmentation, such as creating roads and other infrastructure or converting areas to agriculture, tend restrict, rather than promote, fire. The human influence is complex, however, the of fragmentation regime depends climate vegetation conditions. Climate-induced changes in fuel loads also affect natural ways independent influence. Disentangling controls regimes challenging because multiple interactions between climate, vegetation, people fire, different timescales over which they operate. We explore these relationships, drawing statistical modelling analyses palaeoenvironmental, historical recent observations at regional global scales. show how relationships changed through time vary spatially function environmental biotic gradients. Specifically, we climate-driven been most important drivers changing least until Industrial Revolution. Statistical no discernible hunter–gatherer communities, even time-transgressive introduction agriculture during Neolithic had scale. post-industrial expansion was an fires, but since late 19th century, overwhelming humans has reduce progressive influencing ignitions. Model projections suggest reduction will be outweighed by climatically driven increases end 21st century. This article part theme issue ‘Novel under influences: impacts, ecosystem responses feedbacks’.

Язык: Английский

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