[Responses of boreal forest landscape in northern Great Xing'an Mountains of Northeast China to climate change]

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2012 Dec;23(12):3227-35.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

With the combination of forest landscape model (LANDIS) and forest gap model (LINKAGES), this paper simulated the effects of climate change on the boreal forest landscape in the Great Xing'an Mountains, and compared the direct effects of climate change and the effects of climate warming-induced fires on the forest landscape. The results showed that under the current climate conditions and fire disturbances, the forest landscape in the study area could maintain its dynamic balance, and Larix gmelinii was still the dominant tree species. Under the future climate and fire disturbances scenario, the distribution area of L. gmelinii and Pinus pumila would be decreased, while that of Betula platyphylla, Populus davidiana, Populus suaveolens, Chosenia arbutifolia, and Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica would be increased, and the forest fragmentation and forest diversity would have an increase. The changes of the forest landscape lagged behind climate change. Climate warming would increase the growth of most tree species except L. gmelinii, while the increased fires would increase the distribution area of P. davidiana, P. suaveolens, and C. arbutifolia and decrease the distribution area of L. gmelinii, P. sylvestris var. mongolica, and P. pumila. The effects of climate warming-induced fires on the forest landscape were almost equal to the direct effects of climate change, and aggravated the direct effects of climate change on forest composition, forest landscape fragmentation, and forest landscape diversity.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biodiversity
  • China
  • Climate Change*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Conservation of Natural Resources*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Fires
  • Forestry / methods
  • Trees / classification
  • Trees / growth & development*