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Responses of tree populations to climatic change

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Abstract

The influence of climate on the population dynamics of trees must be inferred from indirect sources of information because the long lifespans of trees preclude direct observation of population growth and decline. Important insights about these processes come from 1) observations of the life histories and ecologies of trees in contemporary forests, 2) evidence of recent treeline movements in remote areas unaffected by human disturbance, and 3) results of experiments performed on forest simulation models. Each line of evidence indicates that tree population responses are influenced by many factors: including lifespans, seed productivity and dispersibility, phenotypic plasticity, genetic variability, competition, and disturbance. Some population characteristics should allow rapid changes in population sizes, while others should confer stability in times of environmental fluctuation. Interactions between controlling factors should result in a wide array of possible responses to climatic change. Interpretations of late-Quaternary forest dynamics must be based on an understanding of the biological processes involved in population responses to environmental variations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA

    Linda B. Brubaker

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Nomenclature of European species follows: Tutin et al. (1964) Flora Europaea, of North American species: Preston (1976) North American Trees.

J. Agee, P. Anderson, L. Graumlich, D. Lev, I. C. Prentice and R. Reanier provided helpful comments on various drafts of the manuscript.

J. Agee, P. Anderson, L. Graumlich, D. Lev, I. C. Prentice and R. Reanier provided helpful comments on various drafts of the manuscript.

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Brubaker, L.B. Responses of tree populations to climatic change. Vegetatio 67, 119–130 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00037362

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