Water availability predicts forest canopy height at the global scale.

Détails

ID Serval
serval:BIB_5F6FDEB30CDC
Type
Article: article d'un périodique ou d'un magazine.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Titre
Water availability predicts forest canopy height at the global scale.
Périodique
Ecology letters
Auteur⸱e⸱s
Klein T. (co-premier), Randin C. (co-premier), Körner C. (co-dernier)
ISSN
1461-0248 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1461-023X
Statut éditorial
Publié
Date de publication
12/2015
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
18
Numéro
12
Pages
1311-1320
Langue
anglais
Notes
Publication types: Letter ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Résumé
The tendency of trees to grow taller with increasing water availability is common knowledge. Yet a robust, universal relationship between the spatial distribution of water availability and forest canopy height (H) is lacking. Here, we created a global water availability map by calculating an annual budget as the difference between precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) at a 1-km spatial resolution, and in turn correlated it with a global H map of the same resolution. Across forested areas over the globe, Hmean increased with P-PET, roughly: Hmean (m) = 19.3 + 0.077*(P-PET). Maximum forest canopy height also increased gradually from ~ 5 to ~ 50 m, saturating at ~ 45 m for P-PET > 500 mm. Forests were far from their maximum height potential in cold, boreal regions and in disturbed areas. The strong association between forest height and P-PET provides a useful tool when studying future forest dynamics under climate change, and in quantifying anthropogenic forest disturbance.
Mots-clé
Forests, Models, Biological, Temperature, Trees/growth & development, Water Cycle, Evapotranspiration, forest suppression, hydraulic constraints, range limits, tree height
Pubmed
Web of science
Financement(s)
Conseil Européen de la Recherche (ERC) / 233399
Création de la notice
07/12/2015 10:47
Dernière modification de la notice
05/04/2024 8:14
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