Cloud immersion and the future of tropical montane forests

热带山地森林是独特的生物多样性丰富的生态系统，除了为数千万人提供水外，还提供碳固存等其他服务。不幸的是，未来气温的上升，以及与之相关的云层浸泡的减少，可能会导致这些生态系统及其提供的服务的消失。然而，关于云层浸没如何在林分和宏观生态尺度上影响这些森林，特别是在非洲，我们知之甚少。为了解决这个问题，我将结合非洲三座山脉的详细实地测量和对新创建的非洲大陆地块数据库的全大陆分析，并使用最先进的分析方法来模拟卫星图像和气候重新分析的云层浸没。我将(1)确定云浸对于维持每年的水输入和树木生长的重要性，(2)量化未来云浸对碳储量和通量的影响，以及(3)评估不同的优势树种如何应对云浸的变化。CLOUDFOR是一个高度跨学科的项目(气候科学、生态学、水文学)，它将产生与这些森林的可持续管理广泛相关的关键信息--这要归功于有针对性的最终用户参与计划。该项目的高科学质量和明确的影响将不仅通过产生新的知识和高调的出版物而受益，而且还通过在爱知生物多样性目标和可持续发展目标等国际条约中对欧盟的承诺做出贡献。

Tropical montane forests are unique biodiversity rich ecosystems which provide water to tens of millions of people, alongside other services such as carbonsequestration. Unfortunately, future increases in temperature, and the associated reduction in cloud immersion, could lead to the disappearance of theseecosystems and the services they provide. However, little is known on how cloud immersion affects these forests at stand-level and macroecological scales,particularly in Africa.To address this, I will combine detailed field measurements in three African mountains with continent-wide analysis of the newly created AfriMont plotdatabase, and use state-of-the-art analysis methods to model cloud immersion from satellite images and climate re-analyses. I will (1) determine the importanceof cloud immersion for maintaining annual water inputs and tree growth, (2) quantify the consequences of future changes in cloud immersion for carbon stocksand fluxes, and (3) assess how different dominant tree species respond to changes in cloud immersion.CLOUDFOR is a highly interdisciplinary project (climate science, ecology, hydrology) which will generate key information of wide relevance for thesustainable management of these forests - thanks to a targeted end-user engagement plan.The high scientific quality and clear impact of the project will benefit the EU not only by generating new knowledge and high-profile publications, but also bycontributing to EU commitments within international treaties such as the Aichi Biodiversity targets and the Sustainable Development Goals.