Patterns of tropical forest understory temperatures

Ali Ismaeel, Amos P. K. Tai, Erone Ghizoni Santos, Heveakore Maraia, Iris Aalto, Jan Altman, Jiří Doležal, Jonas J. Lembrechts, José Luís Camargo, Juha Aalto, Kateřina Sam, Lair Cristina Avelino do Nascimento, Martin Kopecký, Martin Svátek, Matheus Henrique Nunes, Radim Matula, Roman Plichta, Temesgen Abera and Eduardo Eiji Maeda ()
Additional contact information
Ali Ismaeel: Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Amos P. K. Tai: Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Erone Ghizoni Santos: University of Helsinki
Heveakore Maraia: Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Iris Aalto: University of Helsinki
Jan Altman: Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Jiří Doležal: University of South Bohemia
Jonas J. Lembrechts: University of Antwerp
José Luís Camargo: Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project (BDFFP) - National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA)
Juha Aalto: University of Helsinki
Kateřina Sam: Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Lair Cristina Avelino do Nascimento: Associação SOS Amazônia
Martin Kopecký: Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Martin Svátek: Mendel University in Brno
Matheus Henrique Nunes: University of Helsinki
Radim Matula: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, University of Life Sciences Prague
Roman Plichta: Mendel University in Brno
Temesgen Abera: University of Helsinki
Eduardo Eiji Maeda: University of Helsinki

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Temperature is a fundamental driver of species distribution and ecosystem functioning. Yet, our knowledge of the microclimatic conditions experienced by organisms inside tropical forests remains limited. This is because ecological studies often rely on coarse-gridded temperature estimates representing the conditions at 2 m height in an open-air environment (i.e., macroclimate). In this study, we present a high-resolution pantropical estimate of near-ground (15 cm above the surface) temperatures inside forests. We quantify diurnal and seasonal variability, thus revealing both spatial and temporal microclimate patterns. We find that on average, understory near-ground temperatures are 1.6 °C cooler than the open-air temperatures. The diurnal temperature range is on average 1.7 °C lower inside the forests, in comparison to open-air conditions. More importantly, we demonstrate a substantial spatial variability in the microclimate characteristics of tropical forests. This variability is regulated by a combination of large-scale climate conditions, vegetation structure and topography, and hence could not be captured by existing macroclimate grids. Our results thus contribute to quantifying the actual thermal ranges experienced by organisms inside tropical forests and provide new insights into how these limits may be affected by climate change and ecosystem disturbances.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44734-0

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