Patterns and drivers of recent disturbances across the temperate forest biome

Andreas Sommerfeld (), Cornelius Senf, Brian Buma, Anthony W. D’Amato, Tiphaine Després, Ignacio Díaz-Hormazábal, Shawn Fraver, Lee E. Frelich, Álvaro G. Gutiérrez, Sarah J. Hart, Brian J. Harvey, Hong S. He, Tomáš Hlásny, Andrés Holz, Thomas Kitzberger, Dominik Kulakowski, David Lindenmayer, Akira S. Mori, Jörg Müller, Juan Paritsis, George L. W. Perry, Scott L. Stephens, Miroslav Svoboda, Monica G. Turner, Thomas T. Veblen and Rupert Seidl
Additional contact information
Andreas Sommerfeld: Institute of Silviculture
Cornelius Senf: Institute of Silviculture
Brian Buma: University of Colorado
Anthony W. D’Amato: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Tiphaine Després: Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague
Ignacio Díaz-Hormazábal: Universidad de Chile
Shawn Fraver: University of Maine, School of Forest Resources
Lee E. Frelich: University of Minnesota
Álvaro G. Gutiérrez: Universidad de Chile
Sarah J. Hart: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Brian J. Harvey: University of Washington
Hong S. He: Northeast Normal University
Tomáš Hlásny: Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague
Andrés Holz: Portland State University
Thomas Kitzberger: INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue
Dominik Kulakowski: Clark University, Graduate School of Geography
David Lindenmayer: Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University
Akira S. Mori: Yokohama National University
Jörg Müller: University of Würzburg
Juan Paritsis: INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue
George L. W. Perry: University of Auckland
Scott L. Stephens: University of California
Miroslav Svoboda: Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague
Monica G. Turner: Birge Hall, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Thomas T. Veblen: University of Colorado
Rupert Seidl: Institute of Silviculture

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Increasing evidence indicates that forest disturbances are changing in response to global change, yet local variability in disturbance remains high. We quantified this considerable variability and analyzed whether recent disturbance episodes around the globe were consistently driven by climate, and if human influence modulates patterns of forest disturbance. We combined remote sensing data on recent (2001–2014) disturbances with in-depth local information for 50 protected landscapes and their surroundings across the temperate biome. Disturbance patterns are highly variable, and shaped by variation in disturbance agents and traits of prevailing tree species. However, high disturbance activity is consistently linked to warmer and drier than average conditions across the globe. Disturbances in protected areas are smaller and more complex in shape compared to their surroundings affected by human land use. This signal disappears in areas with high recent natural disturbance activity, underlining the potential of climate-mediated disturbance to transform forest landscapes.

Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-06788-9

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06788-9

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