Climate change impacts on tropical forests: identifying risks for tropical Asia

Deb J. C., . and Phinn S., . and Butt N., . and McAlpine C. A., . Climate change impacts on tropical forests: identifying risks for tropical Asia. pp. 182-194. ISSN 0128-1283

There is growing evidence that global climate change is significantly altering forest ecosystems and will continue to do so in the future. Changes in mean climate and climate extremes such as drought storms cyclones and wildfires can fundamentally alter species distribution composition phenology and forest structure. This study reviewed the available evidence of climate change impacts on tropical forests. We selected 85 studies based on two selection criterias and recorded the impacts of climate change on different areas of tropical forests. The majority of the studies examined climate change impacts on forest structure and composition (72) with few considering phenology (8). This study focused on tropical Asian forests because of their high biodiversity values and their vulnerability to the interacting threats of forest fragmentation and climate change. The difference map (2080“2100 compared with 1980“2000) indicates a significant acceleration of mean warming (5“9 C) and increase in mean precipitation (0.5“1 mm day-1) in the Himalayan Highlands Tibetan Plateau and arid regions of South Asia. Based on this review two issueswere posed to direct future tropical forest research: (1) effect of climate change on the extinction risk of tropical trees and (2) integration of climate change risks into forest policy and management.

Full text available from: Official URL: https://www.frim.gov.my/v1/jtfsonline/jtfs/v30n2/1...

Abstract

There is growing evidence that global climate change is significantly altering forest ecosystems and will continue to do so in the future. Changes in mean climate and climate extremes such as drought storms cyclones and wildfires can fundamentally alter species distribution composition phenology and forest structure. This study reviewed the available evidence of climate change impacts on tropical forests. We selected 85 studies based on two selection criterias and recorded the impacts of climate change on different areas of tropical forests. The majority of the studies examined climate change impacts on forest structure and composition (72) with few considering phenology (8). This study focused on tropical Asian forests because of their high biodiversity values and their vulnerability to the interacting threats of forest fragmentation and climate change. The difference map (2080“2100 compared with 1980“2000) indicates a significant acceleration of mean warming (5“9 C) and increase in mean precipitation (0.5“1 mm day-1) in the Himalayan Highlands Tibetan Plateau and arid regions of South Asia. Based on this review two issueswere posed to direct future tropical forest research: (1) effect of climate change on the extinction risk of tropical trees and (2) integration of climate change risks into forest policy and management.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Tropical forests
AGROVOC Term:	Climate change
AGROVOC Term:	Forest ecology
AGROVOC Term:	Atmospheric disturbances
AGROVOC Term:	Species diversity
AGROVOC Term:	Drought
AGROVOC Term:	Cyclones
AGROVOC Term:	Storms
AGROVOC Term:	Wildfires
AGROVOC Term:	Land fragmentation
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 06:29
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/24776

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