Widespread but heterogeneous responses of Andean forests to climate change
Widespread but heterogeneous responses of Andean forests to climate change
复制标题
DOI：
10.1038/s41586-018-0715-9
复制
发表时间：
2018-12-13
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Feeley, Kenneth J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Fadrique, Belen;Baez, Selene;Feeley, Kenneth J.
全球变暖正迫使许多物种向上迁移它们的分布，导致特定地点的物种组成随之发生变化。这一预测在很大程度上尚未对热带树木进行检验。在这里，我们使用分布在33.5度纬度（从26.8南纬到7.1北纬）和3000米海拔（从360到3360米）的近200个安第斯森林样地清单数据库，表明热带和亚热带树木群落的组成正在经历方向性的变化，从较低、较温暖的海拔中获得更大的物种相对丰度。尽管这种“热干化”现象在安第斯山脉普遍存在，但不同海拔地区的成分变化速度并不均匀。观测到的干热速率的异质性可能是由于不同的变暖速率和/或过渡带（即不同栖息地之间的过渡，例如在树带界线或云雾森林的底部）存在专门的树木群落。了解决定成分变化方向和速度的因素将使我们能够更好地预测并可能减轻气候变化对热带森林的影响。
Global warming is forcing many species to shift their distributions upward, causing consequent changes in the compositions of species that occur at specific locations. This prediction remains largely untested for tropical trees. Here we show, using a database of nearly 200 Andean forest plot inventories spread across more than 33.5 degrees latitude (from 26.8 degrees S to 7.1 degrees N) and 3,000-m elevation (from 360 to 3,360 m above sea level), that tropical and subtropical tree communities are experiencing directional shifts in composition towards having greater relative abundances of species from lower, warmer elevations. Although this phenomenon of 'thermophilization' is widespread throughout the Andes, the rates of compositional change are not uniform across elevations. The observed heterogeneity in thermophilization rates is probably because of different warming rates and/or the presence of specialized tree communities at ecotones (that is, at the transitions between distinct habitats, such as at the timberline or at the base of the cloud forest). Understanding the factors that determine the directions and rates of compositional changes will enable us to better predict, and potentially mitigate, the effects of climate change on tropical forests.