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Thermal sensitivity across forest vertical profiles: patterns, mechanisms, and ecological implications.

Nidhi Vinod1,2, Martijn Slot3, Ian R McGregor4

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Forests face rising temperatures, with leaf temperatures varying by height. Upper canopy leaves are hottest, but traits offer some protection, impacting tree vulnerability and ecosystem feedback.

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Area of Science:

  • Forest Ecology
  • Climate Change Biology
  • Plant Physiology

Background:

  • Rising global temperatures significantly impact forest ecosystems across various scales.
  • Vertical stratification within forests leads to distinct microclimates and environmental conditions.
  • Leaf temperature (Tleaf) variation across forest strata influences tree physiology and ecosystem dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate how microclimate, leaf temperature, foliar traits, and gas exchange vary vertically within forests.
  • To understand the implications of these vertical variations for tree and ecosystem ecology under changing climate conditions.
  • To synthesize existing research and new analyses on forest vertical structure and thermal dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of published research on forest microclimate and leaf ecophysiology.
  • Analysis of vertical gradients in leaf temperature, foliar traits, and gas exchange.
  • Comparison of thermal stress and vulnerability between upper canopy and understory trees.

Main Results:

  • Upper canopy leaves experience higher solar radiation and evaporative demand, leading to elevated Tleaf, especially when cooling is limited.
  • Foliar traits vary with height, offering some mitigation against extreme leaf temperatures in the upper canopy.
  • Leaf metabolism generally increases with height, but thermal sensitivity differences across strata are modest.
  • Canopy trees exhibit higher metabolic capacity but are more vulnerable to drought and damaging Tleaf than understory trees.
  • Understory trees face fewer extreme high Tleaf events but have limited cooling mechanisms, increasing vulnerability during warming or canopy disturbance.

Conclusions:

  • Vertical variation in microclimate and leaf traits significantly shapes forest responses to rising temperatures.
  • Understanding these vertical dynamics is crucial for predicting forest resilience and climate feedback mechanisms.
  • Integrating vertical forest structure into climate models is essential for accurate forecasting of forest-climate interactions.