Altered climate leads to positive density‐dependent feedbacks in a tropical wet forest

Bachelot, Benedicte; Alonso‐Rodríguez, Aura M.; Aldrich‐Wolfe, Laura; Cavaleri, Molly A.; Reed, Sasha C.; Wood, Tana E.

doi:10.1111/gcb.15087

Altered climate leads to positive density‐dependent feedbacks in a tropical wet forest

Journal Article · Wed Apr 08 04:00:00 EDT 2020 · Global Change Biology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15087· OSTI ID:1608727

^[1]; Alonso‐Rodríguez, Aura M. ^[2]; Aldrich‐Wolfe, Laura ^[3]; Cavaleri, Molly A. ^[4]; Reed, Sasha C. ^[5]; ^[2]

Department of BioSciences Rice University Houston TX USA
USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry Jardín Botánico Sur Río Piedras Puerto Rico
Department of Biological Sciences North Dakota State University Fargo ND USA
School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton MI USA
Southwest Biological Science Center US Geological Survey Moab UT USA

Abstract

Climate change is predicted to result in warmer and drier Neotropical forests relative to current conditions. Negative density‐dependent feedbacks, mediated by natural enemies, are key to maintaining the high diversity of tree species found in the tropics, yet we have little understanding of how projected changes in climate are likely to affect these critical controls. Over 3 years, we evaluated the effects of a natural drought and in situ experimental warming on density‐dependent feedbacks on seedling demography in a wet tropical forest in Puerto Rico. In the +4°C warming treatment, we found that seedling survival increased with increasing density of the same species (conspecific). These positive density‐dependent feedbacks were not associated with a decrease in aboveground natural enemy pressure. If positive density‐dependent feedbacks are not transient, the diversity of tropical wet forests, which may rely on negative density dependence to drive diversity, could decline in a future warmer, drier world.

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: 89243018SSC000014; SC0018942; SC0011806

OSTI ID:: 1608727

Journal Information:: Global Change Biology, Journal Name: Global Change Biology Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 26; ISSN 1354-1013

Publisher:: Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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