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Forest understorey communities respond strongly to light in interaction with forest structure, but not to microclimate warming
Author(s) -
De Pauw Karen,
Sanczuk Pieter,
Meeussen Camille,
Depauw Leen,
De Lombaerde Emiel,
Govaert Sanne,
Vanneste Thomas,
Brunet Jörg,
Cousins Sara A. O.,
Gasperini Cristina,
Hedwall PerOla,
Iacopetti Giovanni,
Lenoir Jonathan,
Plue Jan,
Selvi Federico,
Spicher Fabien,
UriaDiez Jaime,
Verheyen Kris,
Vangansbeke Pieter,
De Frenne Pieter
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.17803
Subject(s) - understory , microclimate , canopy , ecology , forest floor , global warming , environmental science , temperate forest , disturbance (geology) , climate change , deciduous , generalist and specialist species , temperate deciduous forest , temperate climate , habitat , biology , ecosystem , paleontology
Summary Forests harbour large spatiotemporal heterogeneity in canopy structure. This variation drives the microclimate and light availability at the forest floor. So far, we do not know how light availability and sub‐canopy temperature interactively mediate the impact of macroclimate warming on understorey communities. We therefore assessed the functional response of understorey plant communities to warming and light addition in a full factorial experiment installed in temperate deciduous forests across Europe along natural microclimate, light and macroclimate gradients. Furthermore, we related these functional responses to the species’ life‐history syndromes and thermal niches. We found no significant community responses to the warming treatment. The light treatment, however, had a stronger impact on communities, mainly due to responses by fast‐colonizing generalists and not by slow‐colonizing forest specialists. The forest structure strongly mediated the response to light addition and also had a clear impact on functional traits and total plant cover. The effects of short‐term experimental warming were small and suggest a time‐lag in the response of understorey species to climate change. Canopy disturbance, for instance due to drought, pests or logging, has a strong and immediate impact and particularly favours generalists in the understorey in structurally complex forests.