Forest microclimates contrast strongly with the climate outside forests. To fully understand and better predict how forests' biodiversity and functions relate to climate and climate change, microclimates need to be integrated into ecological research. Despite the potentially broad impact of microclimates on the response of forest ecosystems to global change, our understanding of how microclimates within and below tree canopies modulate biotic responses to global change at the species, community and ecosystem level is still limited. Here, we review how spatial and temporal variation in forest microclimates result from an interplay of forest features, local water balance, topography and landscape composition. We first stress and exemplify the importance of considering forest microclimates to understand variation in biodiversity and ecosystem functions across forest landscapes. Next, we explain how macroclimate warming (of the free atmosphere) can affect microclimates, and vice versa, via interactions with land-use changes across different biomes. Finally, we perform a priority ranking of future research avenues at the interface of microclimate ecology and global change biology, with a specific focus on three key themes: (1) disentangling the abiotic and biotic drivers and feedbacks of forest microclimates; (2) global and regional mapping and predictions of forest microclimates; and (3) the impacts of microclimate on forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the face of climate change. The availability of microclimatic data will significantly increase in the coming decades, characterizing climate variability at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales relevant to biological processes in forests. This will revolutionize our understanding of the dynamics, drivers and implications of forest microclimates on biodiversity and ecological functions, and the impacts of global changes. In order to support the sustainable use of forests and to secure their biodiversity and ecosystem services for future generations, microclimates cannot be ignored.

/pdf/forest-microclimates-and-climate-change-importance-drivers-v40ecgzffy.pdf

Forest microclimates and climate change: Importance, drivers and future research agenda.

Climatic warming may lead to increased or decreased future forest productivity. However, more frequent heat waves, droughts and storms and accompanying pathogen attacks are also expected for Europe and are considered to be increasingly important abiotic and biotic stress factors for forests. Adaptive forestry can help forest ecosystems to adapt to these new conditions in order to achieve management goals, maintain desired forest ecosystem services and reduce the risks of forest degradation. With a focus on central Europe, this paper presents the following management strategies: (1) conservation of forest structures, (2) active adaptation, and (3) passive adaptation. The feasibility and criteria for application of the different strategies are discussed. Forest adaptation may entail the establishment of “neonative” forests, including the use and intermixing of native and non-native tree species as well as non-local tree provenances that may adapt better to future climate conditions. An integrative ...

Adaptive forest management in central Europe: Climate change impacts, strategies and integrative concept

Potential of forest thinning to mitigate drought stress: A meta-analysis

In many parts of Europe, close-to-nature silviculture (CNS) has been widely advocated as being the best approach for managing forests to cope with future climate change. In this review, we identify and evaluate six principles for enhancing the adaptive capacity of European temperate forests in a changing climate: (1) increase tree species richness, (2) increase structural diversity, (3) maintain and increase genetic variation within tree species, (4) increase resistance of individual trees to biotic and abiotic stress, (5) replace high-risk stands and (6) keep average growing stocks low. We use these principles to examine how three CNS systems (single-tree selection, group selection and shelterwood) serve adaptation strategies. Many attributes of CNS can increase the adaptive capacity of European temperate forests to a changing climate. CNS promotes structural diversity and tree resistance to stressors, and growing stocks can be kept at low levels. However, some deficiencies exist in relation to the adaptation principles of increasing tree species richness, maintaining and increasing genetic variation, and replacing high-risk stands. To address these shortcomings, CNS should make increased use of a range of regeneration methods, in order to promote light-demanding tree species, non-native species and non-local provenances.

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01143040/document

Suitability of close-to-nature silviculture for adapting temperate European forests to climate change

Changes in forest disturbances can have strong impacts on forests, yet we lack consistent data on Europe’s forest disturbance regimes and their changes over time. Here we used satellite data to map three decades of forest disturbances across continental Europe, and analysed the patterns and trends in disturbance size, frequency and severity. Between 1986 and 2016, 17% of Europe’s forest area was disturbed by anthropogenic and/or natural causes. We identified 36 million individual disturbance patches with a mean patch size of 1.09 ha, which equals an annual average of 0.52 disturbance patches per km2 of forest area. The majority of disturbances were stand replacing. While trends in disturbance size were highly variable, disturbance frequency consistently increased and disturbance severity decreased. Here we present a continental-scale characterization of Europe’s forest disturbance regimes and their changes over time, providing spatial information that is critical for understanding the ongoing changes in Europe’s forests. Changes in forest disturbance affect their sustainability. This study finds that between 1986 and 2016, 36 million disturbances by humans or other causes affected 17% of Europe’s forest area.

/pdf/mapping-the-forest-disturbance-regimes-of-europe-1pvipi8q65.pdf

Mapping the forest disturbance regimes of Europe

Climate change is about to change many site factors relevant for forest dynamics, and is therefore posing a great challenge for silviculture. We review the options for addressing this challenge and provide recommendations. In general, forest management should aim at increasing the adaptive capacity of the forests, enhancing their resistance to disturbance, and at reducing negative impacts of increased disturbances on forest products and services. The key to coping with climate change lies in enhancing the proportion of tree species adapted to future climate, and, in response to the uncertainties associated, in promoting the diversity of tree species and provenances. Additionally, fostering diversity in forest structure is likely to reduce risks and secure forest products and services. Strategic silvicultural options include mapping the sensitivity of sites and stands to climate change, adapting the target species compositions and choosing an appropriate silvicultural system. At an operational level, silvi...

Klimawandel als waldbauliche Herausforderung | Climate change as a challenge for silviculture

With regard to future climate change and the Swiss biodiversity objectives for forests, Switzerland needs to promote both oak forest maintenance and creation. Therefore, the author proposes the doubling of the current proportion of oaks in Swiss forests from 2 to 4% in thirty years as national goal. To this end, three specific goals have been defined, namely: (1) Individual protection of old oak trees, (2) Achieving a higher proportion of oaks in existing mixed stands by positive selection and (3) Increasing oak forest areas through artificial stand establishment. In cantons with a high oak growth potential, forest owners should be encouraged to invest in these three specific goals by means of subsidies.

Ein Plädoyer für die Eichenförderung (Essay) | A plea for oak forest promotion (essay)

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Suitability of close-to-nature silviculture for adapting temperate European forests to climate change

Klimawandel als waldbauliche Herausforderung | Climate change as a challenge for silviculture

Ein Plädoyer für die Eichenförderung (Essay) | A plea for oak forest promotion (essay)