Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging

Tropical rainforests are subject to extensive degradation by commercial selective logging. Despite pervasive changes to forest structure, selectively logged forests represent vital refugia for global biodiversity. The ability of these forests to buffer temperature‐sensitive species from climate warm...

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Main Authors: Rebecca A. Senior, Jane K. Hill, Suzan Benedick, David P. Edward
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Pub 2018
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Online Access:https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/22251/1/Tropical%20forests%20are%20thermally%20buffered%20despite%20intensive%20selective%20logging.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/22251/
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13914
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spelling my.ums.eprints.222512019-06-18T00:10:08Z https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/22251/ Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging Rebecca A. Senior Jane K. Hill Suzan Benedick David P. Edward Q Science (General) QC Physics Tropical rainforests are subject to extensive degradation by commercial selective logging. Despite pervasive changes to forest structure, selectively logged forests represent vital refugia for global biodiversity. The ability of these forests to buffer temperature‐sensitive species from climate warming will be an important determinant of their future conservation value, although this topic remains largely unexplored. Thermal buffering potential is broadly determined by: (i) the difference between the “macroclimate” (climate at a local scale, m to ha) and the “microclimate” (climate at a fine‐scale, mm to m, that is distinct from the macroclimate); (ii) thermal stability of microclimates (e.g. variation in daily temperatures); and (iii) the availability of microclimates to organisms. We compared these metrics in undisturbed primary forest and intensively logged forest on Borneo, using thermal images to capture cool microclimates on the surface of the forest floor, and information from dataloggers placed inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter. Although major differences in forest structure remained 9–12 years after repeated selective logging, we found that logging activity had very little effect on thermal buffering, in terms of macroclimate and microclimate temperatures, and the overall availability of microclimates. For 1°C warming in the macroclimate, temperature inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter warmed slightly more in primary forest than in logged forest, but the effect amounted to <0.1°C difference between forest types. We therefore conclude that selectively logged forests are similar to primary forests in their potential for thermal buffering, and subsequent ability to retain temperature‐sensitive species under climate change. Selectively logged forests can play a crucial role in the long‐term maintenance of global biodiversity. Wiley-Blackwell Pub 2018-03 Article PeerReviewed text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/22251/1/Tropical%20forests%20are%20thermally%20buffered%20despite%20intensive%20selective%20logging.pdf Rebecca A. Senior and Jane K. Hill and Suzan Benedick and David P. Edward (2018) Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging. Global Change Biology, 24 (3). pp. 1267-1278. ISSN 1354-1013 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13914
institution Universiti Malaysia Sabah
building UMS Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaysia Sabah
content_source UMS Institutional Repository
url_provider http://eprints.ums.edu.my/
language English
topic Q Science (General)
QC Physics
spellingShingle Q Science (General)
QC Physics
Rebecca A. Senior
Jane K. Hill
Suzan Benedick
David P. Edward
Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
description Tropical rainforests are subject to extensive degradation by commercial selective logging. Despite pervasive changes to forest structure, selectively logged forests represent vital refugia for global biodiversity. The ability of these forests to buffer temperature‐sensitive species from climate warming will be an important determinant of their future conservation value, although this topic remains largely unexplored. Thermal buffering potential is broadly determined by: (i) the difference between the “macroclimate” (climate at a local scale, m to ha) and the “microclimate” (climate at a fine‐scale, mm to m, that is distinct from the macroclimate); (ii) thermal stability of microclimates (e.g. variation in daily temperatures); and (iii) the availability of microclimates to organisms. We compared these metrics in undisturbed primary forest and intensively logged forest on Borneo, using thermal images to capture cool microclimates on the surface of the forest floor, and information from dataloggers placed inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter. Although major differences in forest structure remained 9–12 years after repeated selective logging, we found that logging activity had very little effect on thermal buffering, in terms of macroclimate and microclimate temperatures, and the overall availability of microclimates. For 1°C warming in the macroclimate, temperature inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter warmed slightly more in primary forest than in logged forest, but the effect amounted to <0.1°C difference between forest types. We therefore conclude that selectively logged forests are similar to primary forests in their potential for thermal buffering, and subsequent ability to retain temperature‐sensitive species under climate change. Selectively logged forests can play a crucial role in the long‐term maintenance of global biodiversity.
format Article
author Rebecca A. Senior
Jane K. Hill
Suzan Benedick
David P. Edward
author_facet Rebecca A. Senior
Jane K. Hill
Suzan Benedick
David P. Edward
author_sort Rebecca A. Senior
title Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
title_short Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
title_full Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
title_fullStr Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
title_full_unstemmed Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
title_sort tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging
publisher Wiley-Blackwell Pub
publishDate 2018
url https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/22251/1/Tropical%20forests%20are%20thermally%20buffered%20despite%20intensive%20selective%20logging.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/22251/
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13914
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score 13.209306