Impacts of climate change on forest growth

 

Climate change: Impacts on UK forests - Chapter 10
By Melvin Cannell

Key findings

• In much of continental Europe, the majority of forests are growing faster now than they did in the early 20th century, although in some areas, they may be showing symptoms of decline.
• It is likely that forests in much of Britain are also growing faster now than they did several decades ago.
• Much of the increase in forest growth rates can be attributed to advances in silvicultural practice, genetic improvement and, in central Europe, the cessation of site-degrading practices such as litter collection for fuel.
  It is also likely that increasing CO2 concentrations, N deposition and temperatures have had a positive, non-zero effect on forest growth, both in Britain and across much of Europe. At present, it is not possible to quantify the relative contributions of these three environmental drivers.
• Given that CO2 levels and temperatures are set to rise above current levels in the coming decades, it may be expected that forest growth rates in Britain will continue to rise, except perhaps in areas prone to summer droughts or nutritional limitations.

Next: Chapter 11 - Modelling the future climatic suitability of plantation forest tree species

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