Scientists have unveiled how the structure of temperate forest canopies directly impacts autumn phenology, offering new ways to predict how these seasonal shifts will respond to climate change and influence the forest's carbon sequestration abilities.
Autumn phenology refers to the seasonal changes that occur in plants and animals during the fall, driven by factors like temperature, light, and precipitation. Understanding these changes is crucial for assessing ecosystem health, predicting species adaptability, and gauging the effects of climate change.
While previous studies have highlighted macroclimate as the main driver of autumn phenology variations, researchers from the Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered that local differences in canopy structure also play a significant role. By studying six northern temperate forest sites using laser radar and high-resolution imagery, they quantified both autumn phenology and canopy structure, revealing a consistent relationship between the two.
\"A complex canopy structure can, on one hand, weaken light penetration within the forest, reducing the intensity of photosynthesis and delaying the time at which plants reach carbon saturation,\" explained Su Yanjun, a researcher at the institute.
\"On the other hand, it can enhance the buffering effect of temperature, slow down the rate of cold accumulated temperature and reduce the risk of plants from getting frost damage. All of these factors may delay the onset of autumn phenology,\" he added.
The study also found that integrating the \"canopy structure-microclimate-autumn phenology\" mechanism into traditional phenology models significantly improves their predictive accuracy. Traditional models that exclude this mechanism often overestimate the effect of global warming on delaying autumn phenology.
The research was published in Nature Climate Change.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
