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

Authors

Benedicte Bachelot, Rice University
Aura M Alonso-Rodríguez, USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry
Laura Aldrich-Wolfe, North Dakota State University
Molly A. Cavaleri, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
Sasha C Reed, US Geological Survey
Tana E Wood, USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-20-2020

Department

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

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.

Publication Title

Glob Chang Biol

Recommended Citation

Bachelot, B., Alonso-Rodríguez, A., Aldrich-Wolfe, L., Cavaleri, M. A., Reed, S., & Wood, T. (2020). Altered climate leads to positive density-dependent feedbacks in a tropical wet forest. Glob Chang Biol. http://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15087
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/1818