The vulnerability of forest resources to climate change

• Published in: Land and Environmental Management through Forestry
• Main Author: Pardi F.; Ruziman H.H.; Suratman M.N.
• Format: Book chapter
• Language: English
• Published: wiley 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85165058707&doi=10.1002%2f9781119910527.ch5&partnerID=40&md5=518e1e4ef6bc91015f09e8779fc4ed35

Climate change has become a complex issue with profound impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. Changes in climate also strongly affect forest ecosystems, making them vulnerable in many aspects such as forest productivity loss and ecosystem services. As a result, species migration will occur from their ranges into regions where they are not usually found. Species distribution models suggested that species adaptation to future climate change varies, with some species expanding optimal habitat and others decreasing theirs. A significant change in regional climate factors results in changes of ecosystems. For instance, an exotic species from locations with the same edaphoclimatic conditions may have stronger competitive potential, therefore replacing native species from its natural settings. The inevitable consequences may include not just the biodiversity loss, ecosystem or ecological service but also an effect on other population. For example, direct effect on the productivity loss of a certain species in a forest, or an indirect impact, such as the growth of pyrophytic species due to the occurrence of rural fires in the forest. In addition, the ecological changes might have cascade impacts on the forest products industry, such that forest provides raw materials of wood and non-wood products that can be contributed as its monetary value. These impacts are dependent not just on natural responses to climate change, but also on socioeconomic issues which will definitely arise in the future decades or centuries. Thus, combating climate change is a critical necessity, as the only way to reverse its disastrous effects is by mitigation activities for a sustainable forest. © 2023 Scrivener Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.