Combating the effects of climatic change on forests by mitigation strategies

Abstract

BackgroundForests occur across diverse biomes, each of which shows a specific composition of plant communities associated with the particular climate regimes. Predicted future climate change will have impacts on the vulnerability and productivity of forests; in some regions higher temperatures will extend the growing season and thus improve forest productivity, while changed annual precipitation patterns may show disadvantageous effects in areas, where water availability is restricted. While adaptation of forests to predicted future climate scenarios has been intensively studied, less attention was paid to mitigation strategies such as the introduction of tree species well adapted to changing environmental conditions.ResultsWe simulated the development of managed forest ecosystems in Germany for the time period between 2000 and 2100 under different forest management regimes and climate change scenarios. The management regimes reflect different rotation periods, harvesting intensities and species selection for reforestations. The climate change scenarios were taken from the IPCC's Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES). We used the scenarios A1B (rapid and successful economic development) and B1 (high level of environmental and social consciousness combined with a globally coherent approach to a more sustainable development). Our results indicate that the effects of different climate change scenarios on the future productivity and species composition of German forests are minor compared to the effects of forest management.ConclusionsThe inherent natural adaptive capacity of forest ecosystems to changing environmental conditions is limited by the long life time of trees. Planting of adapted species and forest management will reduce the impact of predicted future climate change on forests.

Socio-economic Impacts—Forestry and Agriculture

“…The results show that future development of carbon sequestration and growing stock is not only dependent on climate change scenarios but on forest management adapting to changing conditions (Matala et al 2009). Similar conclusions were drawn by Köhl et al (2010) for, among others, temperate regions in north-eastern Germany.…”

“…The results were based on changing precipitation and temperature patterns and show clear north-south differences. Overall, Köhl et al (2010) concluded that the effects of different climate change scenarios on the future productivity and species composition of German forests are minor compared to the effects of forest management. Garcio-Gonzalo et al Adaptive management requires consideration given to changing the species composition, especially when lower precipitation is expected.…”

“…Required to Counteract Negative Impacts In the southern part of the Baltic Sea basin, reduced precipitation in combination with higher temperatures is likely to result in reduced growth and increased risk of fire and pest outbreaks (Kellomäki and Kolström 1994;Lasch et al 2002Lasch et al , 2005BACC Author Team 2008;Köhl et al 2010). However, adaptive forest management may counteract these unfavourable conditions.…”

“…Köhl et al (2010) modelled different climate change scenarios and management types using the German national forest inventory data and two climate change scenarios from the IPCC's Special Report on Emission Scenarios (IPCC 2000): A1B, rapid and successful economic growth; B1: high level of environmental and social consciousness combined with a globally coherent approach to a more sustainable development. Three management types were used-'maximum profit oriented', 'diameter limit cut' and 'maximum net annual forest rent'-to evaluate their effects on future productivity and species composition of German forests.…”

Kohlenstoffstudie Forst und Holz Niedersachsen

“…Holzprodukte leisten einen nennenswerten Beitrag zur Reduzierung der CO 2 -Konzentrationen in der Atmosphäre, indem durch die stoffliche Holznutzung die natürliche Freisetzung dieses Treibhausgases durch Zersetzung verzögert wird. Außerdem substituieren Holzprodukte sowohl andere Bau-und Werkstoffe, die in der Herstellung energieintensiver sind und größere CO 2 -Emissionen verursachen, als auch als Energieholz fossile Brennstoffe (KÖHL et al 2009, RÜTER 2010. Durch den steigenden stofflichen Holzverbrauch konnten in den vergangenen Jahren bundesweit durchschnittlich 10 Mio.…”