Ecosystem dynamics and management after forest Die-Off: A global synthesis with conceptual state-and-transition models

• Autores: Cobb, Richard C.; Ruthrof, Katinka X.; Breshears, David D.; Lloret, Francisco; Aakala, Tuomas; Adams, Henry D.; Anderegg, William R. L.; Ewers, Brent E.; Galiano, Lucía; Grcunzweig, Jose M.; Hartmann, Henrik; Huang, Cho-ying; Klein, Tamir; Kunert, Norbert; Kitzberger, Thomas; Landhäusser, Simon M.; Levick, Shaun; Preisler, Yakir; Suarez, Maria Laura; Trotsiuk, Volodymyr; Zeppel, Melanie J. B.
• Año de publicación: 2017
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: CLIMATE CHANGE; CONCEPTUAL STATE-AND-TRANSITION MODELS; DROUGHT; FIRE; FOREST MANAGEMENT; PESTS AND PATHOGENS; TREE DIE-OFF
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Broad-scale forest die-off associated with drought and heat has now been reported from every forested continent, posing a global-scale challenge to forest management. Climate-driven die-off is frequently compounded with other drivers of tree mortality, such as altered land use, wildfire, and invasive species, making forest management increasingly complex. Facing similar challenges, rangeland managers have widely adopted the approach of developing conceptual models that identify key ecosystem states and major types of transitions between those states, known as "state-and-transition models" (S&T models). Using expert opinion and available research, the development of such conceptual S&T models has proven useful in anticipating ecosystem changes and identifying management actions to undertake or to avoid. In cases where detailed data are available, S&T models can be developed into probabilistic predictions, but even where data are insufficient to predict transition probabilities, conceptual S&T models can provide valuable insights for managing a given ecosystem and for comparing and contrasting different ecosystem dynamics. We assembled a synthesis of 14 forest die-off case studies from around the globe, each with sufficient information to infer impacts on forest dynamics and to inform management options following a forest die-off event. For each, we developed a conceptual S&T model to identify alternative ecosystem states, pathways of ecosystem change, and points where management interventions have been, or may be, successful in arresting or reversing undesirable changes. We found that our diverse set of mortality case studies fit into three broad classes of ecosystem trajectories: (1) single-state transition shifts, (2) ecological cascading responses and feedbacks, and (3) complex dynamics where multiple interactions, mortality drivers, and impacts create a range of possible state transition responses. We integrate monitoring and management goals in a framework aimed to facilitate development of conceptual S&T models for other forest die-off events. Our results highlight that although forest die-off events across the globe encompass many different underlying drivers and pathways of ecosystem change, there are commonalities in opportunities for successful management intervention.
Fil: Cobb, Richard C.. California State Polytechnic University. Natural Resources Management & Environmental Sciences Department; Estados Unidos
Fil: Ruthrof, Katinka X.. Botanic Gardens And Parks Authority; Australia. Murdoch University. School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Australia
Fil: Breshears, David D.. University of Arizona. School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Estados Unidos
Fil: Lloret, Francisco. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Centre de Recerca Ecológica I Aplicacions Forestals; España
Fil: Aakala, Tuomas. University of Helsinki. Department of Forest Sciences; Finlandia
Fil: Adams, Henry D.. Oklahoma State University. Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution; Estados Unidos
Fil: Anderegg, William R. L.. University of Utah. Department of Biology; Estados Unidos
Fil: Ewers, Brent E.. University of Wyoming. Department of Botany and Program in Ecology and Wyoming EPSCoR; Estados Unidos
Fil: Galiano, Lucía. Lliçà d’Amunt; España
Fil: Grcunzweig, Jose M.. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment; Israel
Fil: Hartmann, Henrik. Max‐Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. Department of Biogeochemical Processes; Alemania
Fil: Huang, Cho-ying. National Taiwan University; República de China. National Taiwan University. Department of Geography; República de China
Fil: Klein, Tamir. Weizmann Institute Of Science Israel; Israel
Fil: Kunert, Norbert. University of Freiburg; Alemania
Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Landhäusser, Simon M.. University of Alberta. Department of Renewable Resources; Canadá
Fil: Levick, Shaun. Max‐Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. Department of Biogeochemical Processes; Alemania. Charles Darwin University. Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods; Australia
Fil: Preisler, Yakir. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment; Israel. Weizmann Institute of Science. Department of Earth and Planetary Science; Israel
Fil: Suarez, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Trotsiuk, Volodymyr. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences; República Checa
Fil: Zeppel, Melanie J. B.. University of Sydney. Faculty of Pharmacy; Australia