The global biogeography of tree leaf form and habit
Copyright policy )The global biogeography of tree leaf form and habit
AbstractUnderstanding what controls global leaf type variation in trees is crucial for comprehending their role in terrestrial ecosystems, including carbon, water and nutrient dynamics. Yet our understanding of the factors influencing forest leaf types remains incomplete, leaving us uncertain about the global proportions of needle-leaved, broadleaved, evergreen and deciduous trees. To address these gaps, we conducted a global, ground-sourced assessment of forest leaf-type variation by integrating forest inventory data with comprehensive leaf form (broadleaf vs needle-leaf) and habit (evergreen vs deciduous) records. We found that global variation in leaf habit is primarily driven by isothermality and soil characteristics, while leaf form is predominantly driven by temperature. Given these relationships, we estimate that 38% of global tree individuals are needle-leaved evergreen, 29% are broadleaved evergreen, 27% are broadleaved deciduous and 5% are needle-leaved deciduous. The aboveground biomass distribution among these tree types is approximately 21% (126.4 Gt), 54% (335.7 Gt), 22% (136.2 Gt) and 3% (18.7 Gt), respectively. We further project that, depending on future emissions pathways, 17–34% of forested areas will experience climate conditions by the end of the century that currently support a different forest type, highlighting the intensification of climatic stress on existing forests. By quantifying the distribution of tree leaf types and their corresponding biomass, and identifying regions where climate change will exert greatest pressure on current leaf types, our results can help improve predictions of future terrestrial ecosystem functioning and carbon cycling.
- Université d'Agriculture de Kétou Benin
- Spanish National Research Council Spain
- University of Mary United States
- College of Saint Rose United States
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Germany
leaf forms, global patterns, distribution, ecology, evergreen, Biomass (ecology), Letter, 550, Geography & travel, Plantas de Hoja Perenne, Plant Biology, Biogeography; Ecology, Forests, Factores Edáficos, leaf form, functional traits, worlds, CONVERGENCE, SDG 13 - Climate Action, Climate change, Psychology, Hoja Ancha, SDG 15 - Life on Land, Global and Planetary Change, CLIMATE-CHANGE, Species Distribution Modeling and Climate Change Impacts, Geography, Ecological Modeling, HUMAN, Deciduous, Agua, Bosques, HABITS, Biogeography, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, climate-change, Physical Sciences, Broadleaf, 570, 577, EVERGREEN, Forest Inventory, Environmental science, Plant litter, Global carbon cycle, Tipo de Hoja, Settore BIO/07 - ECOLOGIA, Humans, info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/910, PLANT LEAVES, Biology, Ecosystem, Nutrientes, Nature and Landscape Conservation, 580, forests, convergence, Hojas Aciculares, Global Forest Drought Response and Climate Change, Water, Carbon, Plantas de Hojas Caducifolias, FOS: Biological sciences, Cambio Climático, Environmental Science, Psychotherapist, Plant Leaves/metabolism, Forest ecology, [SDE] Environmental Sciences, 910, 580 Plants (Botany), Tree leaf form, Trees, CARBON, Habits, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management, Terrestrial ecosystem, FORESTS, Evergreen Plants, TREE, Deciduous Plants, Plant biology, Ecology, WORLDS, Needle-leaf, HUMANS, Biological Sciences, FOREST, FOS: Psychology, Trees/metabolism, co2, deciduousness, TREES, CO2, Carbon/metabolism, Global Vegetation Models, Ciclo del Carbono, Crop and Pasture Production, life, Inventario Forestal, Leaf Type, Climate Change, availability, METABOLISM, Carbon Cycle, PLANT LEAF, vegetation, Life Science, DECIDUOUSNESS, Agroforestry, AVAILABILITY, HABIT, Nutrients, ddc:910, LIFE, Climate Action, Plant Leaves, Evergreen, Edaphic Factors, Earth and Environmental Sciences, cavelab, ECOSYSTEM, Habit, VEGETATION
leaf forms, global patterns, distribution, ecology, evergreen, Biomass (ecology), Letter, 550, Geography & travel, Plantas de Hoja Perenne, Plant Biology, Biogeography; Ecology, Forests, Factores Edáficos, leaf form, functional traits, worlds, CONVERGENCE, SDG 13 - Climate Action, Climate change, Psychology, Hoja Ancha, SDG 15 - Life on Land, Global and Planetary Change, CLIMATE-CHANGE, Species Distribution Modeling and Climate Change Impacts, Geography, Ecological Modeling, HUMAN, Deciduous, Agua, Bosques, HABITS, Biogeography, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, climate-change, Physical Sciences, Broadleaf, 570, 577, EVERGREEN, Forest Inventory, Environmental science, Plant litter, Global carbon cycle, Tipo de Hoja, Settore BIO/07 - ECOLOGIA, Humans, info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/910, PLANT LEAVES, Biology, Ecosystem, Nutrientes, Nature and Landscape Conservation, 580, forests, convergence, Hojas Aciculares, Global Forest Drought Response and Climate Change, Water, Carbon, Plantas de Hojas Caducifolias, FOS: Biological sciences, Cambio Climático, Environmental Science, Psychotherapist, Plant Leaves/metabolism, Forest ecology, [SDE] Environmental Sciences, 910, 580 Plants (Botany), Tree leaf form, Trees, CARBON, Habits, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management, Terrestrial ecosystem, FORESTS, Evergreen Plants, TREE, Deciduous Plants, Plant biology, Ecology, WORLDS, Needle-leaf, HUMANS, Biological Sciences, FOREST, FOS: Psychology, Trees/metabolism, co2, deciduousness, TREES, CO2, Carbon/metabolism, Global Vegetation Models, Ciclo del Carbono, Crop and Pasture Production, life, Inventario Forestal, Leaf Type, Climate Change, availability, METABOLISM, Carbon Cycle, PLANT LEAF, vegetation, Life Science, DECIDUOUSNESS, Agroforestry, AVAILABILITY, HABIT, Nutrients, ddc:910, LIFE, Climate Action, Plant Leaves, Evergreen, Edaphic Factors, Earth and Environmental Sciences, cavelab, ECOSYSTEM, Habit, VEGETATION
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