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Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change
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Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change

A special issue of Climate (ISSN 2225-1154).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 19628

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Eldar Kurbanov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Professor of the Silviculture and Forest Inventory Chair and Head of the Sustainable Forest Management, Remote Sensing Center, Volga State University of Technology (Volgatech), 424000 Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Interests: monitoring of forest ecosystems; remote sensing and GIS applications; geospatial data analysis; sustainable forest management; land use and land cover dynamic
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As more scientific information about global warming accumulates, climate change is emerging as perhaps the greatest environmental challenge of the 21st century (FAO). On the global level, forest ecosystems play a major role in climate change: they remove and store carbon from the atmosphere in their biomass, soils and products; when managed sustainably, they produce wood fuels as a benign alternative to fossil fuels; and they provide cost-effective mitigation solutions. To tackle the consequences of climate change, the need arises to understand its impacts on the functioning and sustainability of forest ecosystems. This Special Issue invites manuscripts focusing on research advances and innovative approaches in the field of reforestation, carbon sequestration, monitoring and remote sensing, the impacts of climate change on deforestation and forest degradation, resilience, sustainable forest management, advances in mitigation and adaptation activities, among others.

Prof. Dr. Eldar Kurbanov
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • land cover change
  • forest ecosystems
  • fire and droughts
  • biodiversity
  • remote sensing and GIS
  • ground-based observations
  • carbon cycling and balance
  • mitigation and adaptation
  • resilience

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

20 pages, 2205 KiB  
Article
Educational Strategies for Teaching Climate and Bioclimate in Response to Global Change
by Ana Cano-Ortiz, Carmelo Maria Musarella and Eusebio Cano
Climate 2024, 12(11), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12110174 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 745
Abstract
This work establishes the relationship between climate, bioclimate, and forest ecosystems and highlights the need to teach these topics in educational institutions. It was found that such knowledge is not currently taught in universities, leading to scarce or non-existent teacher training in these [...] Read more.
This work establishes the relationship between climate, bioclimate, and forest ecosystems and highlights the need to teach these topics in educational institutions. It was found that such knowledge is not currently taught in universities, leading to scarce or non-existent teacher training in these areas. However, the teaching of bioclimatic aspects over a three-year period as a basis for land use planning, has shown highly positive results. The objective is to propose the teaching of bioclimatology to future managers and teachers in order to obtain a balanced environmental development. The analysis of bioclimatic diagrams makes it possible to stipulate the duration of the water reserve in the soil. This is essential for agricultural and forestry management. The edaphic factor and the bioclimatic ombrotclimatic (Io) and thermoclimatic (It/Itc) indexes condition the types of forests and crops that can exist in a territory, with the particularity that the ombrotype is conditioned by the edaphic factor, which allows a decrease in the ombrothermal index, expressed by the ombroedaphoboxerophilic index (Ioex). The humid ombrotypes condition the presence of Abies pinsapo, Quercus pyrenaica, Q. broteroi, and Q. suber, and the dry ones Q. rotundifolia and Olea sylvestris. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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21 pages, 4854 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Ecophysiological Dynamics of Erythroxylum pauferrense in an Open Ombrophilous Forest of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
by João Everthon da Silva Ribeiro, Ester dos Santos Coêlho, Francisco Romário Andrade Figueiredo, Walter Esfrain Pereira, Thiago Jardelino Dias, Marlenildo Ferreira Melo, Lindomar Maria da Silveira, Aurélio Paes Barros Júnior and Manoel Bandeira de Albuquerque
Climate 2024, 12(9), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12090128 - 25 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 960
Abstract
Seasonal forests are characterized by seasonal dynamics that influence the growth and ecophysiology of forest species. Erythroxylum pauferrense is an understory species endemic to the Northeastern region of Brazil, with a distribution limited to Paraíba, Brazil. In this study, how the physiological characteristics [...] Read more.
Seasonal forests are characterized by seasonal dynamics that influence the growth and ecophysiology of forest species. Erythroxylum pauferrense is an understory species endemic to the Northeastern region of Brazil, with a distribution limited to Paraíba, Brazil. In this study, how the physiological characteristics of E. pauferrense vary in response to seasonal changes in an open ombrophilous forest of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest was investigated. Precipitation, air and soil temperature, and leaf area index were monitored and correlated with gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll indices, and leaf morphofunctional attributes. The results show that E. pauferrense exhibits ecophysiological plasticity, adjusting its photosynthesis rates, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency according to seasonal changes. During the rainy season, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were higher than in the dry season, indicating more excellent photosynthetic activity due to increased water availability. Water use efficiency varied, with more efficient use in the dry season, which is crucial for survival in conditions of low water availability. Thus, this study contributes to understanding the ecology of endemic understory species in seasonal tropical forests, such as Erythroxylum pauferrense. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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17 pages, 2373 KiB  
Article
Modelling Climate Effects on Site Productivity and Developing Site Index Conversion Equations for Jack Pine and Trembling Aspen Mixed Stands
by Mahadev Sharma
Climate 2024, 12(8), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12080114 - 4 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1078
Abstract
Forest site productivity estimates are crucial for making informed forest resource management decisions. These estimates are valuable both for the tree species currently growing in the stands and for those being considered for future stands. Current models are generally designed for pure stands [...] Read more.
Forest site productivity estimates are crucial for making informed forest resource management decisions. These estimates are valuable both for the tree species currently growing in the stands and for those being considered for future stands. Current models are generally designed for pure stands and do not account for the influence of climate on tree growth. Consequently, site index (SI) conversion equations were developed specifically for jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) trees grown in naturally originated mixed stands. This work involved sampling 186 trees (93 of each species) from 31 even-aged mixed stands (3 trees per species per site) across Ontario, Canada. Stem analysis data from these trees were utilized to develop stand height growth models by incorporating climate variables for each species. The models were developed using a mixed effects modelling approach. The SI of one species was correlated with that of the other species and climate variables to establish SI conversion equations. The effect of climate on site productivity was evaluated by projecting stand heights at four geographic locations (east, center, west, and far west) in Ontario from 2022 to 2100 using the derived stand height growth models. Height projections were made under three emissions scenarios reflecting varying levels of radiative forcing by the end of the century (2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 watts m−2). Climate effects were observed to vary across different regions, with the least and most pronounced effects noted in the central and far western areas, respectively, for jack pine, while effects were relatively similar across all locations for trembling aspen. Stand heights and SIs of jack pine and trembling aspen trees grown in naturally originated mixed stands can be estimated using the height growth models developed here. Similarly, SI conversion equations enable the estimation of the SI for one species based on the SI of another species and environmental variables. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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19 pages, 8555 KiB  
Article
Temporal and Spatial Analyses of Forest Burnt Area in the Middle Volga Region Based on Satellite Imagery and Climatic Factors
by Eldar Kurbanov, Oleg Vorobev, Sergei Lezhnin, Denis Dergunov, Jinliang Wang, Jinming Sha, Aleksandr Gubaev, Ludmila Tarasova and Yibo Wang
Climate 2024, 12(3), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12030045 - 17 Mar 2024
Viewed by 2283
Abstract
Wildfires are important natural drivers of forest stands dynamics, strongly affecting their natural regeneration and providing important ecosystem services. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of spatiotemporal burnt area (BA) patterns in the Middle Volga region of the Russian Federation from 2000 to [...] Read more.
Wildfires are important natural drivers of forest stands dynamics, strongly affecting their natural regeneration and providing important ecosystem services. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of spatiotemporal burnt area (BA) patterns in the Middle Volga region of the Russian Federation from 2000 to 2022, using remote sensing time series data and considering the influence of climatic factors on forest fires. To assess the temporal trends, the Mann–Kendall nonparametric statistical test and Theil–Sen’s slope estimator were applied using the LandTrendr algorithm on the Google Earth Platform (GEE). The accuracy assessment revealed a high overall accuracy (>84%) and F-score value (>82%) for forest burnt area detection, evaluated against 581 reference test sites. The results indicate that fire occurrences in the region were predominantly irregular, with the highest frequency recorded as 7.3 over the 22-year period. The total forest BA was estimated to be around 280 thousand hectares, accounting for 1.7% of the land surface area or 4.0% of the total forested area in the Middle Volga region. Coniferous forest stands were found to be the most fire-prone ecosystems, contributing to 59.0% of the total BA, while deciduous stands accounted for 25.1%. Insignificant fire occurrences were observed in young forests and shrub lands. On a seasonal scale, temperature was found to have a greater impact on BA compared with precipitation and wind speed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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14 pages, 1410 KiB  
Article
Tree-Regeneration Decline and Type-Conversion after High-Severity Fires Will Likely Cause Little Western USA Forest Loss from Climate Change
by William L. Baker
Climate 2023, 11(11), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11110214 - 30 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2210
Abstract
Temperate conifer forests stressed by climate change could be lost through tree regeneration decline in the interior of high-severity fires, resulting in type conversion to non-forest vegetation from seed-dispersal limitation, competition, drought stress, and reburns. However, is fire triggering this global change syndrome [...] Read more.
Temperate conifer forests stressed by climate change could be lost through tree regeneration decline in the interior of high-severity fires, resulting in type conversion to non-forest vegetation from seed-dispersal limitation, competition, drought stress, and reburns. However, is fire triggering this global change syndrome at a high rate? To find out, I analyzed a worst-case scenario. I calculated fire rotations (FRs, expected period to burn once across an area) across ~56 million ha of forests (~80% of total forest area) in 11 western USA states from 2000 to 2020 for total high-severity fire area, interior area (>90 m inward), and reburned area. Unexpectedly, there was no trend in area burned at high severity from 2000 to 2020 across the four forest types studied. The vulnerable interior area averaged only 21.9% of total high-severity fire area, as 78.1% of burned area was within 90 m of live seed sources where successful tree regeneration is likely. FRs averaged 453 years overall, 2089 years in interiors, and 19,514 years in reburns. Creation of vulnerable interior area in a particular location is thus, on average, a 2000+ year event, like a very rare natural disaster, and reburns that may favor type conversion to non-forest have almost no effect. This means that, from 2021 to 2050 at most, only 3.0–4.2% of total forest area may become a vulnerable interior area, based on a likely high aridity-based climate projection of future fire and a higher scenario, where rates in the exceptional 2020 fire year have become the norm. These findings show that increased management to reduce high-severity fires is not currently needed, as the risk to forests from this global change syndrome is likely quite low up to 2050. Faster and larger disturbances (e.g., severe droughts) are more likely to cause most tree mortality or forest loss that occurs by 2050. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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11 pages, 3678 KiB  
Article
Microeconomics of Nitrogen Fertilization in Boreal Carbon Forestry
by Petri P. Kärenlampi
Climate 2023, 11(9), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11090194 - 18 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1641
Abstract
The nitrogen fertilization of boreal forests is investigated in terms of microeconomics as a tool for carbon sequestration. The effects of nitrogen fertilization’s timing on the return rate on capital and the expected value of the timber stock are investigated within a set [...] Read more.
The nitrogen fertilization of boreal forests is investigated in terms of microeconomics as a tool for carbon sequestration. The effects of nitrogen fertilization’s timing on the return rate on capital and the expected value of the timber stock are investigated within a set of semi-fertile, spruce-dominated boreal stands using an inventory-based growth model. Early fertilization tends to shorten rotations, reducing timber stock and carbon storage. The same applies to fertilization after the second thinning. Fertilization applied ten years before stand maturity is profitable and increases the timber stock, but the latter effect is small. The fertilization of mature stands, extending any rotation by ten years, effectively increases the carbon stock. Profitability varies but is increased by fertilization instead of merely extending the rotation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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20 pages, 9110 KiB  
Article
Unveiling Nature’s Resilience: Exploring Vegetation Dynamics during the COVID-19 Era in Jharkhand, India, with the Google Earth Engine
by Tauseef Ahmad, Saurabh Kumar Gupta, Suraj Kumar Singh, Gowhar Meraj, Pankaj Kumar and Shruti Kanga
Climate 2023, 11(9), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11090187 - 8 Sep 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2673
Abstract
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to global health and economic stability. Intriguingly, the necessary lockdown measures, while disruptive to human society, inadvertently led to environmental rejuvenation, particularly noticeable in decreased air pollution and improved [...] Read more.
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to global health and economic stability. Intriguingly, the necessary lockdown measures, while disruptive to human society, inadvertently led to environmental rejuvenation, particularly noticeable in decreased air pollution and improved vegetation health. This study investigates the lockdown’s impact on vegetation health in Jharkhand, India, employing the Google Earth Engine for cloud-based data analysis. MODIS-NDVI data were analyzed using spatio-temporal NDVI analyses and time-series models. These analyses revealed a notable increase in maximum vegetation greenery of 19% from April 2019 to 2020, with subsequent increases of 13% and 3% observed in March and May of the same year, respectively. A longer-term analysis from 2000 to 2020 displayed an overall 16.7% rise in vegetation greenness. While the maximum value remained relatively constant, it demonstrated a slight increment during the dry season. The Landsat data Mann–Kendall trend test reinforced these findings, displaying a significant shift from a negative NDVI trend (1984–2019) to a positive 17.7% trend (1984–2021) in Jharkhand’s north-west region. The precipitation (using NASA power and Merra2 data) and NDVI correlation were also studied during the pre- and lockdown periods. Maximum precipitation (350–400 mm) was observed in June, while July typically experienced around 300 mm precipitation, covering nearly 85% of Jharkhand. Interestingly, August 2020 saw up to 550 mm precipitation, primarily in Jharkhand’s southern region, compared to 400 mm in the same month in 2019. Peak changes in NDVI value during this period ranged between 0.6–0.76 and 0.76–1, observed throughout the state. Although the decrease in air pollution led to improved vegetation health, these benefits began to diminish post-lockdown. This observation underscores the need for immediate attention and intervention from scientists and researchers. Understanding lockdown-induced environmental changes and their impact on vegetation health can facilitate the development of proactive environmental management strategies, paving the way towards a sustainable and resilient future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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Review

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13 pages, 1297 KiB  
Review
Effects of Climate Change on Temperate Forests in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula
by Leonel J. R. Nunes
Climate 2023, 11(8), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11080173 - 19 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6409
Abstract
This review summarizes the intricate relationship between climate change and forest ecosystems in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula, outlining both their resilience and vulnerabilities. The study asserts the significant impact of climate change on these ecosystems, reinforcing earlier theories about their responsive behavior to [...] Read more.
This review summarizes the intricate relationship between climate change and forest ecosystems in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula, outlining both their resilience and vulnerabilities. The study asserts the significant impact of climate change on these ecosystems, reinforcing earlier theories about their responsive behavior to global climatic alterations. However, the impacts are highly localized, contingent upon specific forest compositions, topography, and interaction with other environmental stressors. The temperate forests of the Northwest Iberian Peninsula manifest a delicate balance of resilience and vulnerability in the face of these phenomena. Notably, the study underscores that this region’s forest ecosystems remain a relatively uncharted research territory, promising fruitful prospects for future exploration. Although existing studies offer vital insights into the climate change impacts, there is a stark need for further research to gain a deeper understanding of, and formulate appropriate responses to, the challenges that these specific ecosystems confront in the wake of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Ecosystems under Climate Change)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Exploring forest cover dynamics and response to the Climate Change in the Middle Volga with the use of time series satellite data
Authors: Eldar Kurbanov, Oleg Vorobev, Sergey Lezhnin, Denis Dergunov, Aleksandr Gubaev
Affiliation: Volga State University of Technology
Abstract: The temperate forest ecosystems play an important role in maintaining the local livelihoods, the survival of wildlife, carbon balance and the protection of species habitats. Understanding the response of forest resilience to climate variability is also essential for ecosystem planning and management. In this study, we assessed the forest cover changes and ecosystem resilience in the Middle Volga region of Russia from 2000 to 2022. Based on the time series MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data, annual precipitation and mean annual air temperature, spatiotemporal variations of forest cover were analyzed using sophisticated statistical methods and a Mann-Kendall test. The MODIS enhanced vegetation index (EVI), burned area index (BAI), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) were also analyzed. The future long-term trend of forest cover in the region was analyzed for 2025 -2060 and 2061-2100 with a machine learning model and 3 IPCC scenario of the Climate Change referred to as “Representative Concentration Pathways” (RCPs). We found that both seasonal NDVI and climatic variables show increasing trends during the last two decades over the Middle Volga region. The results can provide useful information for policy makers regarding sustainable forest management during the growing season in the context of climate change at regional level.

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