Ecosystem vulnerability to climate change: A literature review (original) (raw)
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2021
Agroforestry (AF)-based adaptation to global climate change can consist of (1) reversal of negative trends in diverse tree cover as generic portfolio risk management strategy; (2) targeted, strategic, shift in resource capture (e.g. light, water) to adjust to changing conditions (e.g. lower or more variable rainfall, higher temperatures); (3) vegetation-based influences on rainfall patterns; or (4) adaptive, tactical, management of tree-crop interactions based on weather forecasts for the (next) growing season. Forty years ago, a tree physiological research tradition in aboveground and belowground resource capture was established with questions and methods on climate-tree-soil-crop interactions in space and time that are still relevant for today’s challenges. After summarising early research contributions, we review recent literature to assess current levels of uncertainty in climate adaptation assessments in and through AF. Quantification of microclimate within and around tree cano...
Agroforestry systems in a changing climate—challenges in projecting future performance
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2014
Agroforestry systems are complex assemblages of ecosystem components, each of which responds to climate. Whereas climate change impacts on crops grown in monocultures can reasonably well be projected with process-based crop models, robust models for complex agroforestry systems are not available. Yet impact projections are needed because of the long planning horizons required for adequate management of tree-based ecosystems. This article explores available options for projecting climate change impacts on agroforestry systems, including the development of process-based models, species distribution modeling, climate analogue analysis and field testing in climate analogue locations. Challenges and opportunities of each approach are discussed.
Forest Vulnerability to Climate Change: A Review for Future Research Framework
Forests
Climate change has caused vulnerability not only to the forest ecosystem but also to forest-dependent communities. Therefore, its management is essential to increase forest ecosystem services and reduce vulnerability to climate change using an integrated approach. Although many scientific studies examined climate change impact on forest ecosystems, forest vulnerability assessment, including forest sensitivity, adaptability, sustainability and effective management was found to be scant in the existing literature. Through a systematic review from 1990 to 2019, this paper examined forest vulnerability to climate change and its management practices. In this paper, descriptive, mechanism and thematic analyses were carried out to analyze the state of existing research, in order to understand the concept of vulnerability arising from climate change and forest management issues. The present study proposed a framework for integrated forest assessment and management for addressing such issues...
Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 2019
Climate change threatens ecosystems, including traditional agroforestry parklands. Assessing the level of vulnerability and resilience of any ecosystem to climate change is important for designing sustainable adaptation strategies and measures. We assessed farmers' perceptions of the vulnerability of agroforestry systems to climate change in Benin. The objectives of the study were to (i) assess the effect of changes in climatic conditions on agroforestry systems, (ii) assess the endogenous indicators of vulnerability of agroforestry systems to climate change, and (iii) analyze agroforestry and cropping systems' resilience to climate change. We hypothesized that some agroforestry systems are more resilient to climate change than others. A total of 233 household heads were surveyed, and seven agroforestry systems were assessed. Data collected included components, indicators of vulnerability, and the level of resilience of agroforestry systems. We characterized the agroforestry systems using a proportion of each woody trees species and density of tree. We differentiated the agroforestry systems with regard to vulnerability indicators using canonical factorial discriminant analysis with heplots for pairs of discriminant variables. The resilience of agroforestry and cropping systems was evaluated on a scale of 0 to 3 (0-not resilient to 3-most resilient). The number of components damaged in the system was the main indicator of the vulnerability of Anacardium occidentale and Citrus sinensis parks to climate change effects. Local people perceived age and density of Vitellaria paradoxa parks and mixed parks (Vitellaria paradoxa-Parkia biglobosa) as factors determining the vulnerability of these agroforestry systems to the effects of climate change. All agroforestry systems were perceived to be resilient to climate change but in different degrees. Manihot esculenta was reported as the most resilient crop to climate damage. For the first time, we found out specific endogenous indicators of the vulnerability of agroforestry systems to climate change, which are important to identify better adaptation strategies.
International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology, 2020
Biodiversity conservation in current era of increasing global climate change and rapid land degradation is a major challenge globally. Agroforestry is an important land use system addressing biodiversity conservation and enhancing social and environmental goals. However, there is scarcity of empirical evidence on contributions of agroforestry for conservation of biodiversity and reduction of CO 2 emission. This paper aimed to provide empirical information on the role of agroforestry for conservation of flora and fauna biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The result revealed agroforestry has contributed huge role in conservation of fauna and flora diversity and mitigation of CO 2 than open cereal based agriculture. Trees in agroforestry are the important component in conservation and mitigation of climate change effects. Binding CO 2 through biomass and soil, reducing other causes for CO 2 emission such as deforestation and microclimate modification are major climate change mitigation actions. Provision of numerous other ecosystem services to people and their agroecosystem such as provisioning services (shelter, food, fodder, etc.), regulating services (pest and diseases control, modification of microclimate, reducing wind effect, etc.) and supporting services (nutrient cycling) help them build the resilience towards changing climate effects. Hence, responsible bodies must consider the huge potential of agroforestry in their conservation and climate change mitigation and adaption strategy.
Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2010
Aim Climate change threatens to shift vegetation, disrupting ecosystems and damaging human well-being. Field observations in boreal, temperate and tropical ecosystems have detected biome changes in the 20th century, yet a lack of spatial data on vulnerability hinders organizations that manage natural resources from identifying priority areas for adaptation measures. We explore potential methods to identify areas vulnerable to vegetation shifts and potential refugia.Location Global vegetation biomes.Methods We examined nine combinations of three sets of potential indicators of the vulnerability of ecosystems to biome change: (1) observed changes of 20th-century climate, (2) projected 21st-century vegetation changes using the MC1 dynamic global vegetation model under three Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emissions scenarios, and (3) overlap of results from (1) and (2). Estimating probability density functions for climate observations and confidence levels for vegetation projections, we classified areas into vulnerability classes based on IPCC treatment of uncertainty.Results One-tenth to one-half of global land may be highly (confidence 0.80–0.95) to very highly (confidence ≥ 0.95) vulnerable. Temperate mixed forest, boreal conifer and tundra and alpine biomes show the highest vulnerability, often due to potential changes in wildfire. Tropical evergreen broadleaf forest and desert biomes show the lowest vulnerability.Main conclusions Spatial analyses of observed climate and projected vegetation indicate widespread vulnerability of ecosystems to biome change. A mismatch between vulnerability patterns and the geographic priorities of natural resource organizations suggests the need to adapt management plans. Approximately a billion people live in the areas classified as vulnerable.
The Role of Agroforestry in Ecosystem Service and Climate Change Regulation: A Review
International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2022
Agricultural and forest ecosystems, as well as communities' means of subsistence, have been threatened by the effects of climate change caused by complicated weather-related phenomena. Agroforestry plays a significant part in climate change adaptation through diversified land use practices, sustainable livelihoods, income sources, increased forest and agricultural productivity, and decreased weather-related production losses, which increase resilience against climate impacts. It provides a variety of ecosystem services; however, evidence in the agroforestry literature supporting these perceived benefits has been lacking until recently. This paper aimed to provide empirical information on the role of agroforestry in ecosystem maintenance and climate change adaptation and mitigation provided by agroforestry. Agroforestry has played a greater role in the maintenance of the ecosystem and mitigation of CO 2 than monocropping and open cereal-based agriculture but less than natural forest. It is important for preserving biodiversity, CO 2 sequestration, and adapting to climate change. CO 2 sequestration through above and ground biomass, offsetting CO 2 emission from deforestation and microclimate modification are major climate change mitigation effects. Provision of numerous ecosystem services such as food, fodder, fuel wood, income source, and enhancing soil productivity helps the community sustain changing climate effects. Hence, considerable attention needs to be given to agroforestry to contribute considerable benefit to the maintenance of the ecosystem, and climate change mitigation and adaptation next to a forest.