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Simon A, Fierke J, Reiter EJ, Loguercio GA, Heinrichs S, Putzenlechner B, Joelson NZ, Walentowski H. The interior climate and its microclimatic variation of temperate forests in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2024; 68:719-730. [PMID: 38279025 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-024-02617-5] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Knowledge on mesoclimatic zonation and microclimatic variations within mountain forest ecosystems is crucial for understanding regional species turnover and effects of climate change on these systems. The temperate mountain forests in the Andean region of South America are among the largest and contiguous natural deciduous forest areas in the world. Due to their pronounced disturbance regime and different successional stages, a climatic zonation combined with the characterisation of its microclimatic variation is important to identify thresholds of species occurrences.We used micro-loggers to measure air temperature and relative humidity for one year at 40 measurement locations along longitudinal and elevation gradients in mountain forests in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. Our results unveil mesoclimatic patterns within these forests characterised by variations in temperature and vapour pressure deficit along the elevational gradient in general, but also at different times of the year. For example, Austrocedrus chilensis and Nothofagus dombeyi forests differed mainly by temperature and its diurnal range in the warmest months of the year. Also, differences between forest stands and gaps were more pronounced in the warmest months of the year and at lower elevations, with up to 2.5 K higher temperatures in the second half of the day in gaps. We found clear indications that shrubland of Nothofagus antarctica representing a successional stage after disturbances alters the mesoclimatic pattern, favouring forest fire ignition. Such mesoclimatic variations have a major influence on tree species turnover and ecological processes within these forest ecosystems.The findings contribute to our understanding of the complex interplay between topography, climate, and vegetation in shaping the spatial patterns of species occurrences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alois Simon
- Faculty of Resource Management, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jonas Fierke
- Faculty of Resource Management, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing, Institute of Geography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ernesto J Reiter
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gabriel A Loguercio
- Andean Patagonian Forest Research and Extension Center (CIEFAP), Esquel, Argentina
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Forestry, National University of Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina
| | - Steffi Heinrichs
- Faculty of Resource Management, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Göttingen, Germany
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Birgitta Putzenlechner
- Department of Cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing, Institute of Geography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Natalia Z Joelson
- Faculty of Resource Management, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Helge Walentowski
- Faculty of Resource Management, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Göttingen, Germany.
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Jules ES, DeSiervo MH, Reilly MJ, Bost DS, Butz RJ. The effects of a half century of warming and fire exclusion on montane forests of the Klamath Mountains, California,
USA. ECOL MONOGR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erik S. Jules
- Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University Arcata California USA
| | | | - Matthew J. Reilly
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Western Wildlands Environmental Threat Assessment Center, Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Drew S. Bost
- Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University Arcata California USA
| | - Ramona J. Butz
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region 1330, Bayshore Way Eureka CA USA
- Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources Humboldt State University Arcata California USA
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Tercek MT, Thoma D, Gross JE, Sherrill K, Kagone S, Senay G. Historical changes in plant water use and need in the continental United States. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256586. [PMID: 34473760 PMCID: PMC8412362 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A robust method for characterizing the biophysical environment of terrestrial vegetation uses the relationship between Actual Evapotranspiration (AET) and Climatic Water Deficit (CWD). These variables are usually estimated from a water balance model rather than measured directly and are often more representative of ecologically-significant changes than temperature or precipitation. We evaluate trends and spatial patterns in AET and CWD in the Continental United States (CONUS) during 1980-2019 using a gridded water balance model. The western US had linear regression slopes indicating increasing CWD and decreasing AET (drying), while the eastern US had generally opposite trends. When limits to plant performance characterized by AET and CWD are exceeded, vegetation assemblages change. Widespread increases in aridity throughout the west portends shifts in the distribution of plants limited by available moisture. A detailed look at Sequoia National Park illustrates the high degree of fine-scale spatial variability that exists across elevation and topographical gradients. Where such topographical and climatic diversity exists, appropriate use of our gridded data will require sub-setting to an appropriate area and analyzing according to categories of interest such as vegetation communities or across obvious physical gradients. Recent studies have successfully applied similar water balance models to fire risk and forest structure in both western and eastern U.S. forests, arid-land spring discharge, amphibian colonization and persistence in wetlands, whitebark pine mortality and establishment, and the distribution of arid-land grass species and landscape scale vegetation condition. Our gridded dataset is available free for public use. Our findings illustrate how a simple water balance model can identify important trends and patterns at site to regional scales. However, at finer scales, environmental heterogeneity is driving a range of responses that may not be simply characterized by a single trend.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Thoma
- US National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - John E. Gross
- US National Park Service, Climate Change Response Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kirk Sherrill
- US National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Stefanie Kagone
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Gabriel Senay
- ASRC Federal Data Solutions, contractor to the USGS EROS Center, Sioux Falls, SD, United States of America
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