陆地生态系统过程对气候变暖的响应与适应

陆地生态系统包含一系列时空连续、尺度多元且互相联系的生态学过程。由于大部分生态学过程都受到温度调控, 因此气候变暖会对全球陆地生态系统产生深远的影响。近年来, 全球变化生态学的基本科学问题之一是陆地生态系统的关键过程如何响应与适应全球气候变暖。围绕该问题, 该文梳理了近年来的研究进展, 重点关注植物生理生态过程、物候期、群落动态、生产力及其分配、凋落物与土壤有机质分解、养分循环等过程对温度升高的响应与适应机理。通过定量分析近20年来发表于主流期刊的相关论文, 展望了该领域的前沿方向, 包括物种性状对生态系统过程的预测能力, 生物地球化学循环的耦合过程, 极端高温与低温事件的响应与适应机理, 不对称气候变暖的影响机理和基于过程的生态系统模拟预测等。基于这些研究进展, 该文建议进一步研究陆地生态系统如何适应气候变暖, 更多关注我国的特色生态系统类型, 并整合实验、观测或模型等研究手段开展跨尺度的合作研究。

Response and adaptation of terrestrial ecosystem processes to climate warming

Terrestrial ecosystems are characterized by a series of spatiotemporally continuous, multiple scaled, and mutually connected processes. Since most of these ecological processes are regulated by temperature, climate warming will profoundly impact terrestrial ecosystems at global scale. Recently, how key processes in terrestrial ecosystems respond and/or adapt to climate warming has become a fundamental question in global change ecology. Here, we reviewed the recent research progress related to such question. This review focuses on key ecosystem processes, such as plant ecophysiological processes, phenology, community dynamics, productivity and carbon allocation, decomposition of litter and soil organic carbon, nutrient cycling, and carbon-nitrogen coupling. Based on a literature review, we propose perspectives for future research to tackle fundamental questions, such as the predictability of plant traits on ecosystem processes, coupling between biogeochemical cycles, mechanisms driving ecosystem responses to extreme climate and asymmetric warming, and ecological forecasting with models. We finally suggest more research efforts on warming adaptation rather than response on China’s specific ecosystems, and on the integration of experiments, observations, and models for coordinating studies across scales.