PARIS: Even relatively moderate heating and rainfall loss could dramatically alter the make-up of Earth's northern forests, risking their biodiversity rich ecosystems and undermining their ability to store planet-warming carbon pollution, researchers said Wednesday .
Between 2012-2016 they grew some 4,600 saplings of nine tree species - including spruce, fir and pine - in forest sites in northeastern Minnesota. The study, published in Nature, found that even the trees grown under 1.6 degrees Celsius of warming experienced major problems, including reduced growth and increased mortality.
Wednesday's research suggests that even this relatively modest heating would have profound impacts on boreal ecosystems.Previous research has shown that boreal forests are likely to experience both positive and negative effects from climate change, such as a longer growing season in the far north.