The influence of non-sorted circles on species diversity of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens in Sub-Arctic Tundra

Non-sorted circles (NSCs), also known as frost boils, are common soil frost features that create a small-scale mosaic of vegetation zones in periglacial landscapes. The causes of variation in plant diversity within NSCs are poorly understood. This lack of understanding hampers our ability to predict how arctic plant communities respond to changing soil frost conditions. We hypothesised that plant communities of different ages develop at a micro-site scale within NSCs as soil frost periodically exposes uncolonised soil or fatally offsets plant succession. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the species diversity of plant communities (vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens) from the sparsely vegetated centre of the circles to the densely vegetated outer domain in conjunction with estimates of the age of the plant communities (inferred using lichenometry). Our results suggest that the variation in species diversity and density can largely be explained by the occurrence of progressively older plant communities from the centre towards the vegetated rim. Here, the high species diversity was observed to occur in communities having the ages approximately around 150?years. Our findings suggest that soil frost disturbances are important for maintaining successional gradients several centuries long within the arctic landscape at a small spatial scale (<3?m). The termination of soil frost activity as a result of a warmer future winter climate is therefore most likely to result in a loss of micro-sites having young vegetation communities with high plant diversities and a subsequent establishment of mature shrub-dominated plant communities.     

Potential warm-stage microrefugia for alpine plants: Feedback between geomorphological and biological processes

During interglacial stages, microrefugia are sites that support locally favorable climates within larger areas with unfavorable warmer climates. Despite recent theoretical representations of microrefugia, an appropriate ecological characterization is still lacking, mostly for warm periods. Across mountain/alpine areas, cold-adapted plant species could adopt different strategies to manage the effects of climate warming: (A) migration toward higher elevations and summits; (B) in situ resilience of communities and species populations within microrefugia; and C) adaptation and evolution by genetic differentiation. This review aims to distinguish and characterize from an ecological perspective glacial, nival, periglacial and composite landforms and deposits that may function as potential microrefugia during interglacial warm periods.We conducted a literature screening related to the geomorphological processes and landforms associated with vegetation and plant communities in alpine/mountain environments of Europe. They include glacial deposits rock glaciers, debris-covered glaciers, composite cones and channels. In Alpine regions, geomorphologic niches that constantly maintain cold-air pooling and temperature inversions are the main candidates for microrefugia. Within such microrefugia, microhabitat diversity modulates the responses of plants to disturbances caused by geomorphologic processes and supports their aptitude for surviving under extreme conditions on unstable surfaces in isolated patches. Currently, European marginal mountain chains may be considered as examples of macrorefugia where relict boreo-alpine species persist within peculiar geomorphological niches that act as microrefugia.This review contributes to identifying potential warm-stage microrefugia areas across alpine and mountain regions and determining certain landforms that play or may play such role under global-change scenarios. The occurrence of warm-stage microrefugia within these locations may be of great importance for the modeling of future distributions of species and assessing the risk of extinction for alpine species. Microrefugia may have important implications in micro-evolutionary processes that occur across alternating climatic phases.     

老秃顶子石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性及其影响因素

基于对24个样地的调查数据,采用物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数以及Jaccard相似性指数,对辽东山地老秃顶子石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性及其影响因子进行了研究。结果显示:(1)石河冰缘地貌森林群落中落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林和暗针叶林的物种丰富度指数平均值分别为41±10、34±5和31±7。森林群落物种丰富度变异系数均为中等变异性。(2)石河冰缘地貌森林群落中落叶阔叶林、针阔混交林和暗针叶林的Shannon-Wiener指数平均值分别为1.67±0.32、1.50±0.18和1.29±0.25。(3)石河冰缘地貌森林群落间Jaccard相似性指数为0.037~0.530,且集中在极不相似和中等不相似区间。(4)相关性分析结果显示,石河冰缘地貌海拔高度与森林群落乔木层物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著负相关(P0.01),与灌木层物种丰富度指数呈显著负相关(P0.05);土壤电导率和含盐量均与森林群落物种多样性指数呈显著正相关(P0.05);土壤pH值与灌木层物种丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著正相关(P0.01);土壤CaO含量分别与乔木层和灌木层的物种丰富度指数、乔木层Shannon-Wiener指数呈显著正相关(P0.05)。这表明海拔高度、土壤电导率、盐含量、pH值和CaO含量是影响石河冰缘地貌森林群落物种多样性变化的重要因素。     

Leveraging plant hydraulics to yield predictive and dynamic plant leaf allocation in vegetation models with climate change

Plant functional traits provide a link in process‐based vegetation models between plant‐level physiology and ecosystem‐level responses. Recent advances in physiological understanding and computational efficiency have allowed for the incorporation of plant hydraulic processes in large‐scale vegetation models. However, a more mechanistic representation of water limitation that determines ecosystem responses to plant water stress necessitates a re‐evaluation of trait‐based constraints for plant carbon allocation, particularly allocation to leaf area. In this review, we examine model representations of plant allocation to leaves, which is often empirically set by plant functional type‐specific allometric relationships. We analyze the evolution of the representation of leaf allocation in models of different scales and complexities. We show the impacts of leaf allocation strategy on plant carbon uptake in the context of recent advancements in modeling hydraulic processes. Finally, we posit that deriving allometry from first principles using mechanistic hydraulic processes is possible and should become standard practice, rather than using prescribed allometries. The representation of allocation as an emergent property of scarce resource constraints is likely to be critical to representing how global change processes impact future ecosystem dynamics and carbon fluxes and may reduce the number of poorly constrained parameters in vegetation models.     

Rock glaciers in crystalline catchments: Hidden permafrost‐related threats to alpine headwater lakes

A global warming‐induced transition from glacial to periglacial processes has been identified in mountainous regions around the world. Degrading permafrost in pristine periglacial environments can produce acid rock drainage (ARD) and cause severe ecological damage in areas underlain by sulfide‐bearing bedrock. Limnological and paleolimnological approaches were used to assess and compare ARDs generated by rock glaciers, a typical landform of the mountain permafrost domain, and their effects on alpine headwater lakes with similar morphometric features and underlying bedrock geology, but characterized by different intensities of frost action in their catchments during the year. We argue that ARD and its effects on lakes are more severe in the alpine periglacial belt with mean annual air temperatures (MAAT) between ?2°C and +3°C, where groundwater persists in the liquid phase for most of the year, in contrast to ARD in the periglacial belt where frost action dominates (MAAT < ?2°C). The findings clearly suggest that the ambient air temperature is an important factor affecting the ARD production in alpine periglacial environments. Applying the paleoecological analysis of morphological abnormalities in chironomids through the past millennium, we tested and rejected the hypothesis that unfavorable conditions for aquatic life in the ARD‐stressed lakes are largely related to the temperature increase over recent decades, responsible for the enhanced release of ARD contaminants. Our results indicate that the ARDs generated in the catchments are of a long‐lasting nature and the frequency of chironomid morphological deformities was significantly higher during the Little Ice Age (LIA) than during pre‐ or post‐LIA periods, suggesting that lower water temperatures may increase the adverse impacts of ARD on aquatic invertebrates. This highlights that temperature‐mediated modulations of the metabolism and life cycle of aquatic organisms should be considered when reconstructing long‐term trends in the ecotoxicological state of lakes.     

Climate and plant distribution at global and local scales

This paper investigates, with predictive models, the utility of ecophysiological responses to climate as predictors of plant distribution. At the global scale responses to extreme minimum temperatures and to the hydrological budget effectively predict the distribution limits of the major vegetation types of the World. A minimum temperature of -15°C, for example, appears critical in controlling the poleward spread of vegetation that is dominated by evergreen broadleaved species; however, the presence or absence of more frost resistant species, such as those that are deciduous broadleaved, is not obviously explained in terms of extremes of climate. In such cases, predicting the competitive relationships between species is necessary and dependent on the climatic sensitivity of population dynamics.We are grateful to Hans de Kroon for discussions on the application of matrices to ecology.     

La végétation des sols polygonaux aux étages alpin supérieur et subnival en Valais (Alpes centro-occidentales, Suisse)

Béguin Cl., Progin Sonney M. and Vonlanthen M. 2006. The vegetation of polygonal soils at the upper alpine and subnival belts in Switzerland. Bot. Helv. 116: 41–54. Polygonal soils are typical formations of arctic regions but occur locally at high elevation in the Alps. A vegetation survey of sites with polygonal patterning of soils in the Western Swiss Alps revealed a clear distinction between (1) periglacial polygonal soils, whose structure is created by frost action, and whose occurrence is limited to the subniveal belt (2700–3000 m a.s.l.) and (2) soils whose polygonal structures are mere contraction cracks created by desiccation, which are found in the alpine belt (2300–2750 m a.s.l). Two new plant associations characteristic of these sites are described: periglacial polygonal soils of the subniveal belt are colonized by the association Saxifrago oppositifoliae- Poetum alpinae ass. nov. of the alliance Drabion hoppeanae. Conversely, soils with polygonal contraction cracks shelter the association Epilobio anagallidifolii- Saginetum saginoidis ass. nov., which is related to the alliance Salicion herbaceae. We describe the particular geomorphological and climatic factors leading to the local formation of these soil types with their specialised vegetation. We conclude that their future existence is strongly threatened by climate warming. Manuscrit accepté le 6 mars 2006     

Carbon dynamics at frost-patterned tundra driven by long-term vegetation change rather than by short-term non-growing season warming

Frost-patterned grounds, such as mostly barren frost boils surrounded by denser vegetation, are typical habitat mosaics in tundra. Plant and microbial processes in these habitats may be susceptible to short-term warming outside the growing season, while the areal cover of barren frost boils has decreased during the past decades due to climate warming-induced shrub expansion. The relative importance of such short-term and long-term climate impacts on carbon (C) dynamics remains unknown. We measured ecosystem CO₂ uptake and release (in the field), microbial respiration (in the laboratory), as well as microbial biomass N and soil extractable N in frost boils and the directly adjacent heath in late spring and late summer. These habitats had been experimentally warmed with insulating fleeces from late September until late May for three consecutive years, which allowed us to investigate the direct short-term effects of warming and longer-term, indirect climate effects via vegetation establishment into frost boils. Non-growing season warming increased C uptake at the frost boils in late spring and decreased it in late summer, while the timing and direction of responses was opposite for the heath. Experimental warming had no effects on microbial or ecosystem C release or soil N at either of the habitats. However, C cycling was manifold higher at the heath compared to the frost boils, likely because of a higher SOM stock in the soil. Short-term climate change can thus directly alter ecosystem C uptake at frost-patterned grounds but will most likely not affect microbial C release. We conclude that the C dynamics at frost-patterned grounds under a changing climate depend most strongly on the potential of vegetation to encroach into frost boils in the long-term.     

Vegetation patterns on Mount Everest as influenced by monsoon and föhn

The vegetation of Mt Everest is described by means of the dominant plant formations and characteristic features of biotopes. Climatic data givenin connection with weather observations show evidence that the extreme asymmetry of the altitudinal vegetation belt on the south and north slope is induced by heavy rainfall on the south slope and the desiccating effect of the Himalaya föhn in the valleys of the north slope. Biotope shift from hypsozonal distribution on the south slope to extrazonal distribution on the north slope is described, the patterns of the actual timber line are discussed in order to reconstruct the natural upper forest limit, and regressive plant successions during the last 400 years of man's impact are summarized. The dominant vegetation pattern of the alpine belt is compared with that in the European Alps. On the arid north slope alpine steppe communities occur up to 5 500 m. The highest altitudinal vegetation belt and the highest plant communities at 5 960 m are dominated by periglacial processes. The highest records of flowering plants (6 100/6 200 m) and lichens (7 400 m) are discussed in light of the present knowledge on high-altitude vegetation ecology.     

Adaptive visually‐mediated movements of Littorina irrorata (Mollusca: Gastropoda) when displaced from their natural habitat

Littorina irrorata displaced from their natural location amid plant stems in the upper inter‐tidal zone to areas of intertidal zone devoid of vegetation, oriented onshore under all sky and light conditions tested. The responses of snails tested in experimental arenas in the upper intertidal zone indicated that the natural substrate slope of 3 degrees was ignored in favor of movement toward a black paper rectangle. Subsequent releases on natural substrate supported the conclusion that the onshore‐oriented response resulted from visual perception of a dark area (bushes and trees near the high tide line). Where vegetation was equally tall in all directions, snails oriented toward the closest vegetation regardless of the actual onshore direction.     

Absence of snow cover reduces understory plant cover and alters plant community composition in boreal forests

Snow regimes affect biogeochemistry of boreal ecosystems and are altered by climate change. The effects on plant communities, however, are largely unexplored despite their influence on relevant processes. Here, the impact of snow cover on understory community composition and below-ground production in a boreal Picea abies forest was investigated using a long-term (8-year) snow cover manipulation experiment consisting of the treatments: snow removal, increased insulation (styrofoam pellets), and control. The snow removal treatment caused longer (118 vs. 57 days) and deeper soil frost (mean minimum temperature −5.5 vs. −2.2°C) at 10 cm soil depth in comparison to control. Understory species composition was strongly altered by the snow cover manipulations; vegetation cover declined by more than 50% in the snow removal treatment. In particular, the dominant dwarf shrub Vaccinium myrtillus (−82%) and the most abundant mosses Pleurozium schreberi (−74%) and Dicranum scoparium (−60%) declined strongly. The C:N ratio in V. myrtillus leaves and plant available N in the soil indicated no altered nitrogen nutrition. Fine-root biomass in summer, however, was negatively affected by the reduced snow cover (−50%). Observed effects are attributed to direct frost damage of roots and/ or shoots. Besides the obvious relevance of winter processes on plant ecology and distribution, we propose that shifts in the vegetation caused by frost damage may be an important driver of the reported alterations in biogeochemistry in response to altered snow cover. Understory plant performance clearly needs to be considered in the biogeochemistry of boreal systems in the face of climate change.     

A dynamic global vegetation model for use with climate models: concepts and description of simulated vegetation dynamics

Changes in vegetation structure and biogeography due to climate change feedback to alter climate by changing fluxes of energy, moisture, and momentum between land and atmosphere. While the current class of land process models used with climate models parameterizes these fluxes in detail, these models prescribe surface vegetation and leaf area from data sets. In this paper, we describe an approach in which ecological concepts from a global vegetation dynamics model are added to the land component of a climate model to grow plants interactively. The vegetation dynamics model is the Lund–Potsdam–Jena (LPJ) dynamic global vegetation model. The land model is the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Land Surface Model (LSM). Vegetation is defined in terms of plant functional types. Each plant functional type is represented by an individual plant with the average biomass, crown area, height, and stem diameter (trees only) of its population, by the number of individuals in the population, and by the fractional cover in the grid cell. Three time‐scales (minutes, days, and years) govern the processes. Energy fluxes, the hydrologic cycle, and carbon assimilation, core processes in LSM, occur at a 20 min time step. Instantaneous net assimilated carbon is accumulated annually to update vegetation once a year. This is carried out with the addition of establishment, resource competition, growth, mortality, and fire parameterizations from LPJ. The leaf area index is updated daily based on prevailing environmental conditions, but the maximum value depends on the annual vegetation dynamics. The coupling approach is successful. The model simulates global biogeography, net primary production, and dynamics of tundra, boreal forest, northern hardwood forest, tropical rainforest, and savanna ecosystems, which are consistent with observations. This suggests that the model can be used with a climate model to study biogeophysical feedbacks in the climate system related to vegetation dynamics.     

The effects of reindeer grazing on the composition and species richness of vegetation in forest–tundra ecotone

We conducted an 8-year exclosure experiment (1999–2006) in a forest–tundra ecotonal area in northwestern Finnish Lapland to study the effects of reindeer grazing on vegetation in habitats of variable productivity and microhabitat structure. The experimental sites included tundra heath, frost heath and riparian habitats, and the two latter habitats were characterized by hummock-hollow ground forms. The total cover of vegetation, cover of willow (Salix spp.), dwarf birch (Betula nana), dwarf shrubs, forbs and grasses (Poaceae spp.) increased in exclosures in all habitats. The increase in the total cover of vegetation and in the covers of willow and dwarf birch tended to be greatest in the least productive tundra heath. Opposing to the increase in the dominant vascular plant groups, the cover and species number of bryophytes decreased in exclosures. We conclude that the effects of reindeer grazing on vegetation composition depend on environmental heterogeneity and the responses vary among plant groups. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

落叶阔叶林冠层光合有效辐射分量的遥感模拟与分析

冠层绿色叶片(光合组分)的光合有效辐射分量(绿色FPAR)真实地反映了植被与外界进行物质和能量交换的能力,获取冠层光合组分吸收的太阳光合有效辐射,对生态系统生产力的遥感估算精度的提高具有重要的意义。研究以落叶阔叶林为例,基于SAIL模型模拟森林冠层光合组分和非光合组分吸收的光合有效辐射,研究冠层FPAR变化规律以及与植被指数的相关关系。结果表明,冠层结构的改变会影响冠层对PAR的吸收能力,冠层绿色FPAR的大小与植被面积指数及光合组分面积比相关;在高覆盖度植被区,冠层绿色FPAR占冠层总FPAR的80%以上,非光合组分的贡献较小,但在低植被覆盖区,当光合组分和非光合组分面积相同时,绿色FPAR不及冠层总FPAR的50%;相比于NDVI,北方落叶阔叶林冠层EVI与绿色FPAR存在更为显著的线性相关关系(R~20.99)。     

Climate and plant trait strategies determine tree carbon allocation to leaves and mediate future forest productivity

Forest leaf area has enormous leverage on the carbon cycle because it mediates both forest productivity and resilience to climate extremes. Despite widespread evidence that trees are capable of adjusting to changes in environment across both space and time through modifying carbon allocation to leaves, many vegetation models use fixed carbon allocation schemes independent of environment, which introduces large uncertainties into predictions of future forest responses to atmospheric CO₂ fertilization and anthropogenic climate change. Here, we develop an optimization‐based model, whereby tree carbon allocation to leaves is an emergent property of environment and plant hydraulic traits. Using a combination of meta‐analysis, observational datasets, and model predictions, we find strong evidence that optimal hydraulic–carbon coupling explains observed patterns in leaf allocation across large environmental and CO₂ concentration gradients. Furthermore, testing the sensitivity of leaf allocation strategy to a diversity in hydraulic and economic spectrum physiological traits, we show that plant hydraulic traits in particular have an enormous impact on the global change response of forest leaf area. Our results provide a rigorous theoretical underpinning for improving carbon cycle predictions through advancing model predictions of leaf area, and underscore that tree‐level carbon allocation to leaves should be derived from first principles using mechanistic plant hydraulic processes in the next generation of vegetation models.     

Inclusion of ecologically based trait variation in plant functional types reduces the projected land carbon sink in an earth system model

Earth system models demonstrate large uncertainty in projected changes in terrestrial carbon budgets. The lack of inclusion of adaptive responses of vegetation communities to the environment has been suggested to hamper the ability of modeled vegetation to adequately respond to environmental change. In this study, variation in functional responses of vegetation has been added to an earth system model (ESM) based on ecological principles. The restriction of viable mean trait values of vegetation communities by the environment, called ‘habitat filtering’, is an important ecological assembly rule and allows for determination of global scale trait–environment relationships. These relationships were applied to model trait variation for different plant functional types (PFTs). For three leaf traits (specific leaf area, maximum carboxylation rate at 25 °C, and maximum electron transport rate at 25 °C), relationships with multiple environmental drivers, such as precipitation, temperature, radiation, and CO₂, were determined for the PFTs within the Max Planck Institute ESM. With these relationships, spatiotemporal variation in these formerly fixed traits in PFTs was modeled in global change projections (IPCC RCP8.5 scenario). Inclusion of this environment‐driven trait variation resulted in a strong reduction of the global carbon sink by at least 33% (2.1 Pg C yr^?1) from the 2nd quarter of the 21st century onward compared to the default model with fixed traits. In addition, the mid‐ and high latitudes became a stronger carbon sink and the tropics a stronger carbon source, caused by trait‐induced differences in productivity and relative respirational costs. These results point toward a reduction of the global carbon sink when including a more realistic representation of functional vegetation responses, implying more carbon will stay airborne, which could fuel further climate change.     

民勤荒漠植被对气候变化的响应

运用民勤荒漠区1974-2009年物候观测资料和2002-2010年植被样方观测资料以及同期气象资料,分析了荒漠植被对气候变化的响应.结果表明:1961-2010年,民勤荒漠区气温升高,空气湿度增大,年均气温升高速率大于全球水平和中国近百年平均水平;植物对气温变化的响应主要表现在春季物候提前、秋季物候推迟、生长季延长;植被对降水量变化的响应主要表现为植被盖度和纯盖度随降水量减少而降低,植株密度、植物多度随降水量变化而波动;植被盖度和纯盖度与年降水量的相关性较高,然后依次为6-7月和4-5月的降水量;植株密度和植物多度与9月降水量呈正相关;植物春季物候提前的次序是芽初膨大期＞芽开放期＞开花始期＞展叶始期和展叶盛期＞花蕾序出现＞开花盛期＞开花末期＞果实成熟期;秋季物候推迟的次序是叶全变色期＞落叶始期＞叶初变色期＞落叶末期.春季气温升高对民勤荒漠区植物物候的影响大于秋季气温升高对物候的影响.     

Plant trait responses to grazing – a global synthesis

Herbivory by domestic and wild ungulates is a major driver of global vegetation dynamics. However, grazing is not considered in dynamic global vegetation models, or more generally in studies of the effects of environmental change on ecosystems at regional to global scale. An obstacle to this is a lack of empirical tests of several hypotheses linking plant traits with grazing. We, therefore, set out to test whether some widely recognized trait responses to grazing are consistent at the global level. We conducted a meta‐analysis of plant trait responses to grazing, based on 197 studies from all major regions of the world, and using six major conceptual models of trait response to grazing as a framework. Data were available for seven plant traits: life history, canopy height, habit, architecture, growth form (forb, graminoid, herbaceous legume, woody), palatability, and geographic origin. Covariates were precipitation and evolutionary history of herbivory. Overall, grazing favoured annual over perennial plants, short plants over tall plants, prostrate over erect plants, and stoloniferous and rosette architecture over tussock architecture. There was no consistent effect of grazing on growth form. Some response patterns were modified by particular combinations of precipitation and history of herbivory. Climatic and historical contexts are therefore essential for understanding plant trait responses to grazing. Our study identifies some key traits to be incorporated into plant functional classifications for the explicit consideration of grazing into global vegetation models used in global change research. Importantly, our results suggest that plant functional type classifications and response rules need to be specific to regions with different climate and herbivory history.     

Satellite Ecology (SATECO)—linking ecology,remote sensing and micrometeorology,from plot to regional scale,for the study of ecosystem structure and function

There is a growing requirement for ecosystem science to help inform a deeper understanding of the effects of global climate change and land use change on terrestrial ecosystem structure and function, from small area (plot) to landscape, regional and global scales. To meet these requirements, ecologists have investigated plant growth and carbon cycling processes at plot scale, using biometric methods to measure plant carbon accumulation, and gas exchange (chamber) methods to measure soil respiration. Also at the plot scale, micrometeorologists have attempted to measure canopy- or ecosystem-scale CO₂ flux by the eddy covariance technique, which reveals diurnal, seasonal and annual cycles. Mathematical models play an important role in integrating ecological and micrometeorological processes into ecosystem scales, which are further useful in interpreting time-accumulated information derived from biometric methods by comparing with CO₂ flux measurements. For a spatial scaling of such plot-level understanding, remote sensing via satellite is used to measure land use/vegetation type distribution and temporal changes in ecosystem structures such as leaf area index. However, to better utilise such data, there is still a need for investigations that consider the structure and function of ecosystems and their processes, especially in mountainous areas characterized by complex terrain and a mosaic distribution of vegetation. For this purpose, we have established a new interdisciplinary approach named ‘Satellite Ecology’, which aims to link ecology, remote sensing and micrometeorology to facilitate the study of ecosystem function, at the plot, landscape, and regional scale. This article was contributed at the invitation of the Editorial Committee.     

Plant respiration and photosynthesis in global‐scale models: incorporating acclimation to temperature and CO2

To realistically simulate climate feedbacks from the land surface to the atmosphere, models must replicate the responses of plants to environmental changes. Several processes, operating at various scales, cause the responses of photosynthesis and plant respiration to temperature and CO₂ to change over time of exposure to new or changing environmental conditions. Here, we review the latest empirical evidence that short‐term responses of plant carbon exchange rates to temperature and CO₂ are modified by plant photosynthetic and respiratory acclimation as well as biogeochemical feedbacks. We assess the frequency with which these responses have been incorporated into vegetation models, and highlight recently designed algorithms that can facilitate their incorporation. Few models currently include representations of the long‐term plant responses that have been recorded by empirical studies, likely because these responses are still poorly understood at scales relevant for models. Studies show that, at a regional scale, simulated carbon flux between the atmosphere and vegetation can dramatically differ between versions of models that do and do not include acclimation. However, the realism of these results is difficult to evaluate, as algorithm development is still in an early stage, and a limited number of data are available. We provide a series of recommendations that suggest how a combination of empirical and modeling studies can produce mechanistic algorithms that will realistically simulate longer term responses within global‐scale models.