25.01.2013 Views

Four degrees and beyond: the potential for a global ... - Amper

Four degrees and beyond: the potential for a global ... - Amper

Four degrees and beyond: the potential for a global ... - Amper

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

152 P. Zelazowski et al.<br />

(a) (b) 140<br />

2.0<br />

1.5<br />

120<br />

NPP (kg m –2 yr –1 )<br />

1.0<br />

0.5<br />

0<br />

−0.5<br />

1980 2010 2040<br />

year<br />

2070<br />

(c) 140<br />

(d)<br />

ET (mm month –1 )<br />

120<br />

100<br />

80<br />

60<br />

NPP (kg m –2 yr –1 )<br />

100<br />

80<br />

60<br />

2°C 4°C 2°C 4°C<br />

2100<br />

2°C 4°C<br />

400 500 600<br />

CO (ppm)<br />

2<br />

700 800<br />

ET (mm month –1 )<br />

1980 2010 2040<br />

year<br />

2070 2100<br />

2.0<br />

1.5<br />

1.0<br />

0.5<br />

0<br />

−0.5<br />

24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38<br />

temperature (°C)<br />

Figure 4. (a) Changes in <strong>the</strong> NPP of HTFs across SRES A2 scenario simulated with l<strong>and</strong>-surface<br />

scheme <strong>and</strong> climate-change patterns from 16 AOGCM runs. The 39 considered grid boxes are<br />

situated within tropics (see inset map) <strong>and</strong> are covered by broadleaved <strong>for</strong>ests in at least 90%.<br />

Red solid curve marks an average of pathways in which NPP does not drop below minimum<br />

contemporary levels (marked in solid black). The dashed red curve is an average of all cases<br />

(including <strong>the</strong> pathways reaching low NPP values, which are marked in grey). (b) Corresponding<br />

changes in evapotranspiration; red curves have <strong>the</strong> same role as in (a). (c) Relationship between<br />

<strong>the</strong> atmospheric CO2 concentration <strong>and</strong> evapotranspiration, with regression lines marked in red.<br />

(d) NPP plotted against monthly mean temperature.<br />

minimum contemporary levels occurred at varying temperatures, so any specific<br />

temperature threshold <strong>for</strong> HTF functioning could not be established (figure 4c).<br />

These results are generally consistent with <strong>the</strong> simple approach to delineate <strong>the</strong><br />

HTF niche, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> appearance of some risk of die-back at <strong>the</strong> +2 ◦ C scenario,<br />

which in some areas becomes substantial at <strong>the</strong> +4 ◦ C scenario. In order to<br />

avoid confusing <strong>the</strong> ET decrease that reflects better plant water efficiency in<br />

<strong>the</strong> CO2-enriched atmosphere, with <strong>the</strong> ET decrease induced by <strong>the</strong> declining<br />

NPP, all pathways with NPP that fell below <strong>the</strong> minimum contemporary levels<br />

were excluded from <strong>the</strong> analysis.<br />

Taking into account <strong>the</strong> possible decrease in ecosystem water dem<strong>and</strong><br />

drastically changed <strong>the</strong> estimates of <strong>the</strong> HTF <strong>potential</strong> niche in <strong>the</strong> future<br />

(figure 5), overall shifting <strong>the</strong> scenarios towards <strong>potential</strong> <strong>for</strong>est expansion. At<br />

+2 ◦ C, <strong>the</strong> scenario of severe niche contraction in South America is offset by <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>potential</strong> niche expansion sou<strong>the</strong>astwards. In Africa, <strong>the</strong> <strong>potential</strong> <strong>for</strong> expansion<br />

markedly prevails over <strong>the</strong> contraction. Finally, <strong>the</strong>re is a small <strong>potential</strong> <strong>for</strong> niche<br />

expansion in continental south Asia (i.e. expansion of humid <strong>for</strong>est into monsoonal<br />

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (2011)<br />

Downloaded from<br />

rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org on November 30, 2010

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!