The 10 Australian ecosystems most vulnerable to tipping points

Laurance, William F.; Dell, B.; Turton, Stephen M.; Lawes, Michael J.; Hutley, Lindsay B.; McCallum, Hamish; Dale, Patricia Ellen; Bird, Michael I.; Hardy, G.E.St.J.; Prideaux, Gavin J.; Gawne, Ben; McMahon, Clive R.; Yu, Richard Man Kit; Hero, Jean Marc; Schwarzkopf, Lin; Krockenberger, Andrew K.; Douglas, Michael M.; Silvester, Ewen; Mahony, Michael; Vella, Karen; Saikia, Udoy; Wahren, Carl-Henrik; Xu, Zhihong; Smith, Bradley A.; Cocklin, Chris

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.01.016

Cited by 170 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…These trends are expected to continue and intensify in the coming decades (Suppiah et al 2007). These forest ecosystems, once thought to be resilient to extreme fluctuations, may be reaching critical tipping points (Laurence et al 2011). The recent disturbance impacts on Northern Jarrah Forest reported here exemplify how Mediterranean-type forests may transform through drought-driven processes in the coming decades with anticipated climate change.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Sudden forest canopy collapse corresponding with extreme drought and heat in a mediterranean-type eucalypt forest in southwestern Australia

et al. 2013

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Drought and heat-induced forest dieback and mortality are emerging global concerns.Although Mediterranean-type forest (MTF) ecosystems are considered to be resilient to drought and other disturbances, we observed a sudden and unprecedented forest collapse in a MTF in Western Australia corresponding with record dry and heat conditions in 2010/2011.An aerial survey and subsequent field investigation were undertaken to examine: the incidence and severity of canopy dieback and stem mortality, associations between canopy health and stand-related factors as well as tree species response. Canopy mortality was found to be concentrated in distinct patches, representing 1.5% of the aerial sample (1,350 ha).Within these patches, 74% of all measured stems (> 1cm DBHOB) had dying or recently killed crowns, leading to 26% stem mortality six months following the collapse. Patches of canopy collapse were more densely stocked with the dominant species, Eucalyptus marginata, and lacked the prominent midstorey species Banksia grandis, compared to the surrounding forest. A differential response to the disturbance was observed among cooccurring tree species, which suggests contrasting strategies for coping with extreme water stress. These results suggest that MTFs, once thought to be resilient to climate change, are susceptible to sudden and severe forest collapse when key thresholds have been reached.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Sudden forest canopy collapse corresponding with extreme drought and heat in a mediterranean-type eucalypt forest in southwestern Australia

et al. 2013

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“…Similarly, Alongi (2008) arrives at a global loss rate of mangroves related to climate change of about 10-15%. Laurence et al (2011) in a study about the most fragile ecosystems in Australia, pointed out that mangroves are a vulnerable ecosystem due to their narrow environmental tolerances, their geographically restricted distribution, their proximity to dense human populations in coastal zones, their patchy and fragmented location in the country and their reliance on a few key framework species. The authors believe that the increase in storm intensity and the likelihood of the mangroves being squeezed between human land-uses or topography on the landward side, and rising sea levels on the seaward side, is the major threat to these forests.…”

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confidence: 99%

Mangroves Response to Climate Change: A Review of Recent Findings on Mangrove Extension and Distribution

Godoy

Lacerda

2015

An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc.

123

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Mangroves function as a natural coastline protection for erosion and inundation, providing important environmental services. Due to their geographical distribution at the continent-ocean interface, the mangrove habitat may suffer heavy impacts from global climate change, maximized by local human activities occurring in a given coastal region. This review analyzed the literature published over the last 25 years, on the documented response of mangroves to environmental change caused by global climate change, taking into consideration 104 case studies and predictive modeling, worldwide. Most studies appeared after the year 2000, as a response to the 1997 IPCC report. Although many reports showed that the world's mangrove area is decreasing due to direct anthropogenic pressure, several others, however, showed that in a variety of habitats mangroves are expanding as a response to global climate change. Worldwide, pole ward migration is extending the latitudinal limits of mangroves due to warmer winters and decreasing the frequency of extreme low temperatures, whereas in low-lying coastal plains, mangroves are migrating landward due to sea level rise, as demonstrated for the NE Brazilian coast. Taking into consideration climate change alone, mangroves in most areas will display a positive response. In some areas however, such as low-lying oceanic islands, such as in the Pacific and the Caribbean, and constrained coastlines, such as the SE Brazilian coast, mangroves will most probably not survive.

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“…Ecosystem fragmentation via extensive clearing for agriculture and urbanisation and degradation has left few large Mediterranean type climate ecosystem (MCE) forests and woodlands intact (Laurance et al 2011;Lindner et al 2009). In addition, recent drought and heat events associated with climate change have led to massive collapses and altered ecosystem processes in many of these systems (Allen et al 2010;Dimitrakopoulos et al 2011;Matusick et al 2013;Matusick et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting seedling physiological performance and early establishment in degraded Mediterranean-type ecosystems

et al. 2015

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Mediterranean climate ecosystems (MCEs) are amongst the most heavily degraded ecosystems worldwide. Restoration efforts are challenged by high vulnerability to extreme drought, which is projected to become more frequent with future climate change. The aim of our study was to determine whether restoration efforts could be enhanced through the individual and combined effects of the site preparation technique of soil ripping and the addition of fertilisers.We tested the effects of ripping and fertiliser (± surfactant) on survival, shoot height, crown health, root biomass and leaf physiology of Eucalyptus gomphocephala seedlings in degraded MCEs in Western Australia. Restoration treatments had a much stronger impact under closed canopy (forest) compared to open canopy (woodland) conditions. In the forest, soil ripping doubled seedling survival and together with fertiliser application enhanced shoot height 2.35-fold relative to control seedlings. Ripping resulted in more favourable leaf water potentials and enhanced stomatal conductance suggesting increased water availability compared to unripped soil. In the woodland, fertilisation improved seedling survival and stimulated shoot height (+45%) and root biomass (>2-fold). Our results demonstrate that restoration techniques targeting the co-limitation by water and nutrients can greatly increase chances of successful restoration in these types of ecosystems.

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The 10 Australian ecosystems most vulnerable to tipping points

Cited by 170 publications

References 99 publications

Sudden forest canopy collapse corresponding with extreme drought and heat in a mediterranean-type eucalypt forest in southwestern Australia

Sudden forest canopy collapse corresponding with extreme drought and heat in a mediterranean-type eucalypt forest in southwestern Australia

Mangroves Response to Climate Change: A Review of Recent Findings on Mangrove Extension and Distribution

Promoting seedling physiological performance and early establishment in degraded Mediterranean-type ecosystems

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