Forest Vegetation in Difficulty Faced With Climate Change

Conducted in the forests of mainland France, this study simultaneously challenges the concept of thermophilization, the adaptation of plant communities to global warming, and the increased homogenization of forest plant life.

The findings of the research conducted by the Ph.D. candidate author using 756 common species in forests in metropolitan France (excluding Corsica) show that the replacement of species resulting from climate change primarily takes the form of the disappearance of cold-adapted species (which cease to be adapted). The literature to date suggested that while such a disappearance would occur, it would be always accompanied by a greater abundance of warm-adapted species.

Of the 756 species included in the study, 54% experienced a decline, 41% experienced growth, and 5% remained stable.

The article also shows that this decline does not necessarily result in the homogenization of forest plant life at a regional or national level.

Its findings cast doubt on the idea that thermophilization constitutes an adaptation of communities to global warming. Instead, it may constitute a change that has negative localized consequences on diversity but does not necessarily imply homogenization at a broader regional level.

Reference:

Borderieux, J., Gégout, JC. & Serra-Diaz, J.M. Extinction drives recent thermophilization but does not trigger homogenization in forest understorey. Nat Ecol Evol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02362-3

Access the article on HAL-AgroParisTech (under embargo until September 12):  https://hal.science/hal-04501662