Washington, Feb 25 (ANI)- Rising temperatures cause the planet’s coldest forests to move north, raising concern over biodiversity, according to a new work.
According to Logan Berner, assistant professor at the School of Computer, Computing, and Cyber Systems (SICCS) and Scott Goetz, Regents “Professor and Director of the GEODE Lab,” there is growing indications that climate change is causing boreal forests and shrubs to spread across the Arctic and Alpine tundra, while also causing trees on the warm Southern fringes of the boreo forest to become stressed and die.”
It covers almost a third of the world’s forest and is the coldest, although usually rapidly heated, biome of the forest.
For their study the scientists used 40 years of satellite observations of a moderately fine (30 m) resolution and different geoclimatic data sets on the boreal forest as well as examining where and why the vegetation has become greener and browned in recent decades.
Greening refers to increased vegetation growth that could occur if global warming encourages the growth of trees and shrubs, as observed near Arctic and Alpine tree boundaries.
“Browning” means weaker plant growth rates and potentially dying vegetation, when, say, hotter and drier conditions stifle tree growth and kill trees.
What they found was not a surprise that went down well.
Changes in vegetation by both northern and southern fringes of the boreal forest will affect forest fire regimes, which is likely to raise the likelihood of further and more severe fires.
