1
|
Yuan Z, Osei R, Mao Z, Ye J, Lin F, Fang S, Wang X, Hao Z, Ali A. Determinants of tree population temporal stability in a temperate mixed forest over a gradient of nitrogen addition. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 368:122198. [PMID: 39168010 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition is a significant threat to the functioning of forests and negatively impacts the delivery of forest goods and services. Contemporary management approaches seek to adapt forests to such N-deposition stressors, but to date how plant populations in natural forests respond to N deposition and what factors determine the contrasting responses among populations are still unclear. Here, we investigated the impact of N-addition (control: 0 kg ha-1 yr-1; low: 25 kg ha-1 yr-1; medium: 50 kg ha-1 yr-1; high: 75 kg ha-1 ha yr-1) on tree population temporal stability and how initial tree size, mycorrhizal type, and leaf N content (LNC; as a surrogate for functional trait composition) mediate tree population responses to N-addition in a Korean pine and mixed broadleaved dominated temperate forest in northern China. We quantified tree species population temporal stability as the ratio of mean to standard deviation of the year-by-year stem increments recorded in individual trees from 2015 to 2022 experimental period. The results showed different temporal stabilities of tree species among four N-addition levels, with the highest population stability observed within the high N-addition plots. Furthermore, initial tree size had significantly (p < 0.001) positive effects on population temporal stability. The effect of LNC and initial tree size were also contingent on the level of N applied. Specifically, increase in tree population LNC reduced population temporal stability in all plots where N was added. Our results imply that retention of large-sized trees and species with resource-conservative strategies (e.g., low LNC) could enhance forest stability under N deposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zuoqiang Yuan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Richard Osei
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
| | - Zikun Mao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Ji Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China.
| | - Fei Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Shuai Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Xugao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhanqing Hao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Qinling Ecological Intelligent Monitoring and Protection, School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, China
| | - Arshad Ali
- Forest Ecology Research Group, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Levine JM, HilleRisLambers J, Petry WK, Usinowicz J, Crowther TW. Demographic but not competitive time lags can transiently amplify climate-induced changes in vegetation carbon storage. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17432. [PMID: 39092542 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
How terrestrial ecosystems will accumulate carbon as the climate continues to change is a major source of uncertainty in projections of future climate. Under growth-stimulating environmental change, time lags inherent in population and community dynamic processes have been posed to dampen, or alternatively amplify, short-term carbon gain in terrestrial vegetation, but these outcomes can be difficult to predict. To theoretically frame this problem, we developed a simple model of vegetation dynamics that identifies the stage-structured demographic and competitive processes that could govern the timescales of carbon storage and loss. We show that demographic lags associated with growth-stimulating environmental change can allow a rapid increase in population-level carbon storage that is lost back to the atmosphere in later years. However, this transient carbon storage only emerges when environmental change increases the transition of adult individuals into a larger size class that suffers markedly higher mortality. Otherwise, demographic lags simply slow carbon accumulation. Counterintuitively, an analogous tradeoff between maximum adult size and survivorship in two-species models, coupled with environmental change-driven replacement, does not generate the transient carbon gain seen in the single-species models. Instead lags in competitive replacement slow the approach to the eventual carbon trajectory. Together, our results suggest that time lags inherent in demographic and compositional turnover tend to slow carbon accumulation in systems responding to growth-stimulating environmental change. Only under specific conditions will lagged demographic processes in such systems drive transient carbon accumulation, conditions that investigators can examine in nature to help project future carbon trajectories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Levine
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - William K Petry
- Department of Plant Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jacob Usinowicz
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Thomas W Crowther
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Phelan JN, Van Houtven G, Clark CM, Buckley J, Cajka J, Hargrave A, Horn K, Thomas RQ, Sabo RD. Climate change could negate U.S. forest ecosystem service benefits gained through reductions in nitrogen and sulfur deposition. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10767. [PMID: 38730011 PMCID: PMC11087459 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60652-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) impact the health and productivity of forests. Here, we explored the potential impacts of these environmental stressors on ecosystem services provided by future forests in the contiguous U.S. We found that all stand-level services benefitted (+ 2.6 to 8.1%) from reductions in N+S deposition, largely attributable to positive responses to reduced S that offset the net negative effects of lower N levels. Sawtimber responded positively (+ 0.5 to 0.6%) to some climate change, but negatively (- 2.4 to - 3.8%) to the most extreme scenarios. Aboveground carbon (C) sequestration and forest diversity were negatively impacted by all modelled changes in climate. Notably, the most extreme climate scenario eliminated gains in all three services achieved through reduced deposition. As individual tree species responded differently to climate change and atmospheric deposition, associated services unique to each species increased or decreased under future scenarios. Our results suggest that climate change should be considered when evaluating the benefits of N and S air pollution policies on the services provided by U.S. forests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christopher M Clark
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC, USA
| | - John Buckley
- RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd., RTP, NC, USA
| | - James Cajka
- RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd., RTP, NC, USA
| | - Ashton Hargrave
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Forest System Washington Office, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kevin Horn
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - R Quinn Thomas
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Robert D Sabo
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Reese A, Clark CM, Phelan J, Buckley J, Cajka J, Sabo RD, Van Houtven G. Geographic variation in projected US forest aboveground carbon responses to climate change and atmospheric deposition. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2024; 19:1-12. [PMID: 38752201 PMCID: PMC11091792 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad2739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Forest composition and ecosystem services are sensitive to anthropogenic pressures like climate change and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S). Here we extend recent forest projections for the current cohort of trees in the contiguous US, characterizing potential changes in aboveground tree carbon at the county level in response to varying mean annual temperature, precipitation, and N and S deposition. We found that relative to a scenario with N and S deposition reduction and no climate change, greater climate change led generally to decreasing aboveground carbon (mean -7.5% under RCP4.5, -16% under RCP8.5). Keeping climate constant, reduced N deposition tended to lessen aboveground carbon (mean -7%), whereas reduced S deposition tended to increase aboveground carbon (+3%) by 2100. Through mid-century (2050), deposition was more important for predicting carbon responses except under the extreme climate scenarios (RCP8.5); but, by 2100, climate drivers generally outweighed deposition. While more than 70% of counties showed reductions in aboveground carbon relative to the reference scenario, these were not evenly distributed across the US. Counties in the Northwest and Northern Great Plains, and the northern parts of New England and the Midwest, primarily showed positive responses, while counties in the Southeast showed negative responses. Counties with greater initial biomass showed less negative responses to climate change while those which exhibited the greatest change in composition (>15%) had a 95% chance of losing carbon relative to a no-climate change scenario. This analysis highlights that declines in forest growth and survival due to increases in mean temperature and reductions in atmospheric N deposition are likely to outweigh positive impacts of reduced S deposition and potential increases in precipitation. These effects vary at the regional and county level, however, so forest managers must consider local rather than national dynamics to maximize forest carbon sinks in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aspen Reese
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow, at the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Christopher M Clark
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Phelan
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - John Buckley
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - James Cajka
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert D Sabo
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tian Y, Zhou P, Zhou L, Zhang L, Lin Y, Wang Y, Wang J, Hui D, Ren H, Lu H. Multi-ecosystem services differently affected by over-canopy and understory nitrogen additions in a typical subtropical forest. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17192. [PMID: 38369693 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Obtaining a holistic understanding of the impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on multiple ecosystem services of forest is essential for developing comprehensive and sustainable strategies, particularly in heavy N deposition regions such as subtropical China. However, such impacts remain incompletely understood, with most previous studies focus on individual ecosystem function or service via understory N addition experiments. To address this knowledge gap, we quantified the effects of over-canopy and understory N additions on multiple ecosystem services based on a 7-year large-scale field experiment in a typical subtropical forest. Our results showed continued over-canopy N addition with 50 kg ha-1 year-1 over a period of 4-7 years significantly increased plant nutrient retention, but did not affect the services of soil nutrient accumulation, water yield, C sequestration (in plants and soil), or oxygen release. There were trade-offs between the soil and plant on providing the services of nutrient accumulation/retention and C sequestration under over-canopy N addition. However, without uptake and retention of tree canopy, the trade-off between soil and plant were more weaken under the understory N addition with 50 kg ha-1 year-1 , and their relationships were even synergetic under the understory N addition with 25 kg ha-1 year-1 . The results suggest that understory N addition cannot accurately simulate the effects of atmospheric N deposition on multiple services, along with mutual relationships. Interestingly, the services of plant N, P retention, and C sequestration exhibited a synergetic increase under the over-canopy N addition but a decrease under the understory N addition. Our results also found tree layer plays a primary role in providing plant nutrient retention service and is sensitive to atmospheric N deposition. Further studies are needed to investigate the generalized effects of forest canopy processes on alleviating the threaten of global change factors in different forest ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Tian
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Zhou
- Guangzhou Collaborative Innovation Center on Science-Tech of Ecology and Landscape, Guangzhou Institute of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Guangzhou National Field Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Urban Ecosystem, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lang Zhou
- Forestry Comprehensive Affairs Center of Baiyun District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongbiao Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanjia Wang
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dafeng Hui
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Hai Ren
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongfang Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang X, Li B, Peñuelas J, Sardans J, Cheng D, Yu H, Zhong Q. Resource-acquisitive species have greater plasticity in leaf functional traits than resource-conservative species in response to nitrogen addition in subtropical China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166177. [PMID: 37572896 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The evergreen broad-leaf forest is subtropical zonal vegetation in China, and its species diversity and stability are crucial for maintaining forest ecosystem functions. The region is generally affected by global changes such as high levels of nitrogen deposition. Therefore, it is critical to determine the adaptation strategies of subtropical dominant species under nitrogen addition. Here, we conducted two-year field experiments with nitrogen addition levels as 0 kg N ha-1 yr-1 (CK), 50 kg N ha-1 yr-1 (LN) and 100 kg N ha-1 yr-1 (HN). We investigated the effects of nitrogen addition on leaf functional traits (including nutrition, structural and physiological characteristics) of five dominant species in subtropical evergreen broad-leaf forest. Results suggested that the effect of nitrogen addition on leaf functional traits was species-specific. Contrary to Rhododendron delavayi and Eurya muricata, Quercus glauca, Schima superba and Castanopsis eyrei all responded more to the HN treatment than LN treatment. Compared to other leaf functional traits, leaf anatomical structure traits had the highest average plasticity (0.246), and the relative effect of leaf photosynthetic property was highest (7.785) under N addition. Among the five species, S. superba was highest in terms of the index of plasticity for leaf functional traits under nitrogen addition, followed by Q. glauca, E. muricata, C. eyrei and R. delavayi. The major leaf functional traits representing the economic spectrum of leaves (LES) showed resource acquisitive strategy (high SLA, LNC, LPC, Pn) and conservative strategy (high LTD, LDMC, C/N) clustering on the opposite ends of the PCA axis. The PCA analysis indicated that species with high leaf plasticity adopt resource acquisitive strategy (S. superba and Q. glauca), whereas species with low leaf plasticity adopt resource conservative strategy (E. muricata, C. eyrei and R. delavayi). In aggregate, resource-acquisitive species benefit from nitrogen addition more than resource-conservative species, suggesting that S. superba and Q. glauca will occupy the dominant position in community succession under persistently elevated nitrogen deposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China
| | - Baoyin Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province funded), Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- Global Ecology Unit, CSIC, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Sardans
- Global Ecology Unit, CSIC, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Dongliang Cheng
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province funded), Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Ocean College, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China
| | - Quanlin Zhong
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province funded), Fuzhou, Fujian Province 350007, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Clark CM, Phelan J, Ash J, Buckley J, Cajka J, Horn K, Thomas RQ, Sabo RD. Future climate change effects on US forest composition may offset benefits of reduced atmospheric deposition of N and S. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:4793-4810. [PMID: 37417247 PMCID: PMC11166206 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) are important drivers of forest demography. Here we apply previously derived growth and survival responses for 94 tree species, representing >90% of the contiguous US forest basal area, to project how changes in mean annual temperature, precipitation, and N and S deposition from 20 different future scenarios may affect forest composition to 2100. We find that under the low climate change scenario (RCP 4.5), reductions in aboveground tree biomass from higher temperatures are roughly offset by increases in aboveground tree biomass from reductions in N and S deposition. However, under the higher climate change scenario (RCP 8.5) the decreases from climate change overwhelm increases from reductions in N and S deposition. These broad trends underlie wide variation among species. We found averaged across temperature scenarios the relative abundance of 60 species were projected to decrease more than 5% and 20 species were projected to increase more than 5%; and reductions of N and S deposition led to a decrease for 13 species and an increase for 40 species. This suggests large shifts in the composition of US forests in the future. Negative climate effects were mostly from elevated temperature and were not offset by scenarios with wetter conditions. We found that by 2100 an estimated 1 billion trees under the RCP 4.5 scenario and 20 billion trees under the RCP 8.5 scenario may be pushed outside the temperature record upon which these relationships were derived. These results may not fully capture future changes in forest composition as several other factors were not included. Overall efforts to reduce atmospheric deposition of N and S will likely be insufficient to overcome climate change impacts on forest demography across much of the United States unless we adhere to the low climate change scenario.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Clark
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington DC
| | | | - Jeremy Ash
- US Department of Agriculture, US Forest Service, Region 8, Ashville, NC
| | | | - James Cajka
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Kevin Horn
- Virginia Polytechnical University, Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Blacksburg, VA
| | - R. Quinn Thomas
- Virginia Polytechnical University, Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Blacksburg, VA
| | - Robert D. Sabo
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington DC
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pavlovic NR, Chang SY, Huang J, Craig K, Clark C, Horn K, Driscoll CT. Empirical nitrogen and sulfur critical loads of U.S. tree species and their uncertainties with machine learning. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159252. [PMID: 36216054 PMCID: PMC10241478 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Critical loads (CLs) of atmospheric deposition for nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) are used to support decision making related to air regulation and land management. Frequently, CLs are calculated using empirical methods, and the certainty of the results depends on accurate representation of underlying ecological processes. Machine learning (ML) models perform well in empirical modeling of processes with non-linear characteristics and significant variable interactions. We used bootstrap ensemble ML methods to develop CL estimates and assess uncertainties of CLs for the growth and survival of 108 tree species in the conterminous United States. We trained ML models to predict tree growth and survival and characterize the relationship between deposition and tree species response. Using four statistical methods, we quantified the uncertainty of CLs in 95 % confidence intervals (CI). At the lower bound of the CL uncertainty estimate, 80 % or more of tree species have been impacted by nitrogen deposition exceeding a CL for tree survival over >50 % of the species range, while at the upper bound the percentage is much lower (<20 % of tree species impacted across >60 % of the species range). Our analysis shows that bootstrap ensemble ML can be effectively used to quantify critical loads and their uncertainties. The range of the uncertainty we calculated is sufficiently large to warrant consideration in management and regulatory decision making with respect to atmospheric deposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan R Pavlovic
- Sonoma Technology, 1450 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA 94954, United States.
| | - Shih Ying Chang
- Sonoma Technology, 1450 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA 94954, United States
| | - Jiaoyan Huang
- Sonoma Technology, 1450 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA 94954, United States
| | - Kenneth Craig
- Sonoma Technology, 1450 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA 94954, United States
| | - Christopher Clark
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Mail Code: 8101R, Washington, DC 20460, United States
| | - Kevin Horn
- Data and Environmental Scientist, Freedom Consulting Group, 7061 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046, United States
| | - Charles T Driscoll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Baker JS, Van Houtven G, Phelan J, Latta G, Clark CM, Austin KG, Sodiya OE, Ohrel SB, Buckley J, Gentile LE, Martinich J. Projecting U.S. forest management, market, and carbon sequestration responses to a high-impact climate scenario. FOREST POLICY AND ECONOMICS 2022; 147:1-17. [PMID: 36923688 PMCID: PMC10013705 DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2022.102898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The impact of climate change on forest ecosystems remains uncertain, with wide variation in potential climate impacts across different radiative forcing scenarios and global circulation models, as well as potential variation in forest productivity impacts across species and regions. This study uses an empirical forest composition model to estimate the impact of climate factors (temperature and precipitation) and other environmental parameters on forest productivity for 94 forest species across the conterminous United States. The composition model is linked to a dynamic optimization model of the U.S. forestry sector to quantify economic impacts of a high warming scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5) under six alternative climate projections and two socioeconomic scenarios. Results suggest that forest market impacts and consumer impacts could range from relatively large losses (-$2.6 billion) to moderate gain ($0.2 billion) per year across climate scenarios. Temperature-induced higher mortality and lower productivity for some forest types and scenarios, coupled with increasing economic demands for forest products, result in forest inventory losses by end of century relative to the current climate baseline (3%-23%). Lower inventories and reduced carbon sequestration capacity result in additional economic losses of up to approximately $4.1 billion per year. However, our results also highlight important adaptation mechanisms, such forest type changes and shifts in regional mill capacity that could reduce the impact of high impact climate scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin S. Baker
- Dept. of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, 2800 Faucette Dr, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States of America
| | - George Van Houtven
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Phelan
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America
| | - Gregory Latta
- University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Dr., MS 1139, Moscow, ID 83844-1139, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Clark
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20460, United States of America
| | - Kemen G. Austin
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America
| | - Olakunle E. Sodiya
- Dept. of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, 2800 Faucette Dr, Raleigh, NC 27607, United States of America
| | - Sara B. Ohrel
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20460, United States of America
| | - John Buckley
- McCormick Taylor, 509 South Exeter Street, 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, United States of America
| | - Lauren E. Gentile
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20460, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Martinich
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20460, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abdelzaher H, Tawfik SM, Nour A, Abdelkader S, Elbalkiny ST, Abdelkader M, Abbas WA, Abdelnaser A. Climate change, human health, and the exposome: Utilizing OMIC technologies to navigate an era of uncertainty. Front Public Health 2022; 10:973000. [PMID: 36211706 PMCID: PMC9533016 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.973000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is an anthropogenic phenomenon that is alarming scientists and non-scientists alike. The emission of greenhouse gases is causing the temperature of the earth to rise and this increase is accompanied by a multitude of climate change-induced environmental exposures with potential health impacts. Tracking human exposure has been a major research interest of scientists worldwide. This has led to the development of exposome studies that examine internal and external individual exposures over their lifetime and correlate them to health. The monitoring of health has also benefited from significant technological advances in the field of "omics" technologies that analyze physiological changes on the nucleic acid, protein, and metabolism levels, among others. In this review, we discuss various climate change-induced environmental exposures and their potential health implications. We also highlight the potential integration of the technological advancements in the fields of exposome tracking, climate monitoring, and omics technologies shedding light on important questions that need to be answered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anwar Abdelnaser
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wen Y, Tong R, Zhang H, Feng K, Song R, Wang GG, Wu T. N addition decreased stand structure diversity in young but increased in middle-aged Metasequoia glyptostroboides plantations. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
|
12
|
Adams MA, Buckley TN, Binkley D, Neumann M, Turnbull TL. CO 2, nitrogen deposition and a discontinuous climate response drive water use efficiency in global forests. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5194. [PMID: 34465788 PMCID: PMC8408268 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25365-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced stomatal conductance is a common plant response to rising atmospheric CO2 and increases water use efficiency (W). At the leaf-scale, W depends on water and nitrogen availability in addition to atmospheric CO2. In hydroclimate models W is a key driver of rainfall, droughts, and streamflow extremes. We used global climate data to derive Aridity Indices (AI) for forests over the period 1965-2015 and synthesised those with data for nitrogen deposition and W derived from stable isotopes in tree rings. AI and atmospheric CO2 account for most of the variance in W of trees across the globe, while cumulative nitrogen deposition has a significant effect only in regions without strong legacies of atmospheric pollution. The relation of aridity and W displays a clear discontinuity. W and AI are strongly related below a threshold value of AI ≈ 1 but are not related where AI > 1. Tree ring data emphasise that effective demarcation of water-limited from non-water-limited behaviour of stomata is critical to improving hydrological models that operate at regional to global scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Adams
- grid.1027.40000 0004 0409 2862Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Thomas N. Buckley
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Dan Binkley
- grid.261120.60000 0004 1936 8040School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ USA
| | - Mathias Neumann
- grid.5173.00000 0001 2298 5320Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tarryn L. Turnbull
- grid.1027.40000 0004 0409 2862Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.1013.30000 0004 1936 834XSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Koplitz SN, Nolte CG, Sabo RD, Clark CM, Horn KJ, Thomas RQ, Newcomer-Johnson TA. The contribution of wildland fire emissions to deposition in the U S: implications for tree growth and survival in the Northwest. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:10.1088/1748-9326/abd26e. [PMID: 33747119 PMCID: PMC7970516 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abd26e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems require access to key nutrients like nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) to sustain growth and healthy function. However, excessive deposition can also damage ecosystems through nutrient imbalances, leading to changes in productivity and shifts in ecosystem structure. While wildland fires are a known source of atmospheric N and S, little has been done to examine the implications of wildland fire deposition for vulnerable ecosystems. We combine wildland fire emission estimates, atmospheric chemistry modeling, and forest inventory data to (a) quantify the contribution of wildland fire emissions to N and S deposition across the U S, and (b) assess the subsequent impacts on tree growth and survival rates in areas where impacts are likely meaningful based on the relative contribution of fire to total deposition. We estimate that wildland fires contributed 0.2 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and 0.04 kg S ha-1 yr-1 on average across the U S during 2008-2012, with maxima up to 1.4 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and 0.6 kg S ha-1 yr-1 in the Northwest representing over ~30% of total deposition in some areas. Based on these fluxes, exceedances of S critical loads as a result of wildland fires are minimal, but exceedances for N may affect the survival and growth rates of 16 tree species across 4.2 million hectares, with the most concentrated impacts occurring in Oregon, northern California, and Idaho. Understanding the broader environmental impacts of wildland fires in the U S will inform future decision making related to both fire management and ecosystem services conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon N Koplitz
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
- Current address: Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Christopher G Nolte
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert D Sabo
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US EPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Christopher M Clark
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US EPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Kevin J Horn
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - R Quinn Thomas
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhang YL, Moser B, Li MH, Wohlgemuth T, Lei JP, Bachofen C. Contrasting Leaf Trait Responses of Conifer and Broadleaved Seedlings to Altered Resource Availability Are Linked to Resource Strategies. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9050621. [PMID: 32413963 PMCID: PMC7285355 DOI: 10.3390/plants9050621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
(1) Understanding tree seedling responses to water, nutrient, and light availability is crucial to precisely predict potential shifts in composition and structure of forest communities under future climatic conditions. (2) We exposed seedlings of widespread Central European tree species with contrasting leaf habit, deciduous broadleaves (DB) and evergreen conifers (EC), to factorial combinations of manipulated precipitation (100% and 50% of ambient), shade (40% and 60% of full sunlight), and nutrient availability (low and high NPK), and measured specific leaf area, C/N ratio, soluble sugars, starch and non-structural carbohydrate concentration, and δ13C of the leaves. (3) We found contrasting effects of water and nutrient availability on foliar traits of the two species groups: EC exhibited higher tolerance to low resource availability but also less plasticity in foliar traits, which is congruent with a “slow” resource strategy. In contrast, foliage of DB reacted particularly to altered nutrient availability, corresponding to a “fast” resource strategy with high foliar plasticity and rapid adjustments to resource fluctuations, commonly adopted by species with high growth rates. (4) We conclude that DB will respond to environmental change with foliar acclimation, while EC will either tolerate, to some extent, or shift their distribution range in response to environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Li Zhang
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Y.-L.Z.); (J.-P.L.)
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; (M.-H.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Barbara Moser
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; (M.-H.L.); (T.W.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Mai-He Li
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; (M.-H.L.); (T.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; (M.-H.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Jing-Pin Lei
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Y.-L.Z.); (J.-P.L.)
| | - Christoph Bachofen
- Environmental Sciences and Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| |
Collapse
|