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Forest vegetation in western Romania in relation to climate variables: Does community composition reflect modelled tree species distribution? / S. Heinrichs in Annals of forest research, vol 59 n° 2 (July - December 2016)  

Public [article]  inAnnals of forest research > vol 59 n° 2 (July - December 2016) . - pp 219 - 236 Titre : Forest vegetation in western Romania in relation to climate variables: Does community composition reflect modelled tree species distribution? Type de document : Article/Communication Auteurs : S. Heinrichs, Auteur ; Helge Walentowski, Auteur ; E. Bergmeier, Auteur ; et al., Auteur Année de publication : 2016 Article en page(s) : pp 219 - 236 Note générale : bibliographie Langues : Anglais (eng) Descripteur : [Termes IGN] changement climatique [Termes IGN] composition floristique [Termes IGN] Europe centrale [Termes IGN] Fagus sylvatica [Termes IGN] forêt thermophile [Termes IGN] phytosociologie [Termes IGN] Quercus sessiliflora [Termes IGN] Roumanie [Termes IGN] unité phytosociologique [Vedettes matières IGN] Végétation et changement climatique Résumé : (auteur) European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is the prevailing tree species of mesic forests in Central Europe. Increasing summer temperatures and decreasing precipitation, as climate change scenarios predict, may, however, negatively influence beech growth and induce a shift to more thermophilous forest communities. Temperatures as expected in the future for western Central Europe are currently found in parts of western Romania. In light of this climate analogy we investigated forest vegetation as an indicator for future vegetation changes in five regions of western Romania representing a climatic gradient. We related species composition to climate variables and examined if tree and understorey species composition respond similarly to the climatic gradient. We further analysed if tree species occurrences correspond with their modelled distance to the rear niche edge. We found evidence for climatic effects on vegetation composition among regions as well as within deciduous and pine forests, respectively. This underlines that vegetation composition is a useful indicator for environmental change. Tree and understorey species compositions were closely linked showing that community-based characterization of forest stands can provide additional information on tree species suitability along environmental gradients. Both, vegetation composition and a climatic marginality index demonstrate the rear niche edge occurrence of beech in the studied sites of Romania and can predict the site suitability for different tree species. While vegetation surveys indicate Quercus petraea to be associated to moderately mesic forests, the marginality index suggested an inner niche position of sessile oak along the climatic gradient. Phytosociological relevés that differentiate between subspecies (or microspecies) of sessile oak with differing habitat requirements should be considered to complement national forest inventories and species distribution maps when modelling rear distribution edges. We conclude that climate driven forest vegetation composition in western Romania is a suitable analogon and may indicate future forest development in western Central Europe. Numéro de notice : A2016--094 Affiliation des auteurs : non IGN Thématique : FORET Nature : Article DOI : 10.15287/afr.2016.692 En ligne : http://doi.org/10.15287/afr.2016.692 Format de la ressource électronique : URL article Permalink : https://documentation.ensg.eu/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=84646 [article]