Towards and Indian observatory of tropical forest response to climate change
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Sch of Geography
Abstract
The tropics are warming and the frequency of extreme heat events, often accompanied by drought, is increasing across most of the tropical forest biome. It is currently unclear what the effects of increasing heat on tropical forests will be. This key question is the focus of the current IOF proposal, based on three integrated strands of NERC research in Amazonia, which we lead and propose to pilot in India. The approach consists firstly of a targeted real-time observation program at a forest site at the Southern border of the Amazon humid forests, as part of the NERC BIO-RED consortium, co-led by Gloor and Phillips. Real-time observations of forest performance rely heavily on cameras overlooking the canopies, which measure canopy temperatures, measures of productivity performance and stress, and phenology. To characterize the climate forcing, we measure continuously climate and soil humidity. In order to understand observed patterns of tree performance responses to heat extremes, we measure separately traits of the site's dominant tree species related to tree hydraulics, as well as productivity. Secondly, as part of another ongoing NERC grant (TREMOR, led by DG) we are measuring tree hydraulic properties of dominant trees at 10 sites distributed across the Amazon. Knowledge of these characteristics across wide areas permits us to generalize mechanistic results measured with the in-situ monitoring approach. Finally, in both ongoing and past grants OP has developed a tropical forest plot-monitoring network in Amazonia, Africa, and Borneo (~1000 1-ha plots now), capable of tracking longer-term shifts in forest biomass, productivity, and composition. We propose here to work with leading Indian scientists to apply these approaches in this critical region. In large parts of tropical India heat waves have increased considerably in recent years with peak temperatures reaching up to 50C. Model projections suggest that up to 45% of Indian forests may be at risk of shifting to non-forest vegetation states, yet there are only very limited data to evaluate these projections. India lacks both a comprehensive observational system as at our Amazon site, and has relatively few permanent plots, and those that do exist are mostly not integrated into international forest monitoring networks. To address these challenges we have formed new connections with key experts in India covering the areas of forest ecology, eco-physiology, and climatology. Between them our new Indian collaborators are strongly linked to national and international forest conservation efforts, and lead most available forest plots. The scientific focus of this proposal, the extensive, biodiverse and potentially climate-sensitive evergreen forests in Western Ghats, is where the team's interests coincide geographically. We propose to jointly install a canopy-overlooking continuous forest heat and drought-response monitoring site, as in S Amazonia, close to existing plots in the Western Ghats. Together we plan a site-level traits campaign of dominant species and local integration of plot- and canopy-observation monitoring. We further propose to harmonize protocols of plot censuses and to include Indian plot data in the pan-tropical forest census database to support larger scale geographical analyses and syntheses. I-FOR will also aim to support mutual exchange of skills, focused in three steps. The first, in the Western Ghats, is a workshop dedicated to student and young scientist education in field skills and protocols. Secondly, we plan several visits of Indian colleagues to Leeds to support joint analyses and post-project planning. The final workshop, to be hold at one of the Indian scientist's home institution, will include wider participation to discuss implications of the results and to take practical steps toward ensuring these activities become long-term efforts.
Planned Impact
This proposal seeks to establish the foundation for long-term monitoring and quantification of the response of Indian forests to ongoing climate change. The importance of Indian forests as biodiversity hotspots, coupled with the considerable climatic threats they face means that the research we propose is of extremely high interest to scientists and to the wider public in India and globally. We will use the usual channels to disseminate our results in the scientific community. However, we expect and will take every effort to ensure that our findings will have substantial impact well beyond the scientific world.
1. Local Impacts in India. We believe that it is critically important for local institutions and communities to be fully engaged with the work we do. I-FOR will create direct opportunities to strengthen local research institutions, including the National Center for Biological Sciences, the Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and the Indian Institute of Technology. The field data generated by the project has the potential to generate several spin-off MSc and PhD projects that local students could undertake, and that would in turn further build long-term sustainability of the I-FOR concept. We have a track record in this, training high-quality in-country scientists and future research leaders. The AMAZONICA project, led by PI Gloor, for example, has generated data that forms the basis of several PhD studentships at the University of São Paulo. Similarly, the RAINFOR plot work, led by Co-I Phillips, has also resulted in a significant number of MSc and PhD projects for students across South America, several of whom now play key roles in national research institutions (e.g., IIAP in Peru, INPA in Brazil).
2. National Impacts in India. Our project partners in India are strategically placed to ensure our new collaboration has impact at a national policy level within India. Project partner Indu Murthy plays a prominent role in the Long Term Observations (LTEO) Programme, established to understand the biophysical and anthropogenic drivers of ecosystem change and their effects on social-ecological responses. Project partner Murthy is also part of the Indian National Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), which specifically includes an assessment of impact, vulnerability and adaptation of Indian forest ecosystems. The Western Ghats forests, where our continuous monitoring sire will be located, is considered a particularly important ecosystem within the INCCA. Senior scientists and policymakers that are part of the INCCA will be invited to attend the project workshops, with a view to discussing the possibility of our methodology being formally incorporated within INCCA efforts, including potential funding of large-scale extension of our efforts to other sites and ecosystems within India.
3. UK Impacts. We are firmly committed to disseminating the results obtained by this project to the wider public, as we have done with our previous research. We are firm believers in communicating the excitement of our research to university and high school students in the UK. The University of Leeds already has a culture of research-based teaching and the work proposed in this project will be incorporated in appropriate lecture material for Level-2 and Level-3 courses on Ecosystem Processes and Tropical Rainforests, respectively. University Open Days regularly feature the work of our team and we will prepare and Open Day 'taster' sessions on Indian forests and their potential vulnerability to climatic change. We will also propose small sub-projects linked to different data components of the project (e.g. analysis of phenology images) to be led by undergraduate students through the research placement and dissertation modules, providing an opportunity for Leeds students to be directly engaged with the project.
1. Local Impacts in India. We believe that it is critically important for local institutions and communities to be fully engaged with the work we do. I-FOR will create direct opportunities to strengthen local research institutions, including the National Center for Biological Sciences, the Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and the Indian Institute of Technology. The field data generated by the project has the potential to generate several spin-off MSc and PhD projects that local students could undertake, and that would in turn further build long-term sustainability of the I-FOR concept. We have a track record in this, training high-quality in-country scientists and future research leaders. The AMAZONICA project, led by PI Gloor, for example, has generated data that forms the basis of several PhD studentships at the University of São Paulo. Similarly, the RAINFOR plot work, led by Co-I Phillips, has also resulted in a significant number of MSc and PhD projects for students across South America, several of whom now play key roles in national research institutions (e.g., IIAP in Peru, INPA in Brazil).
2. National Impacts in India. Our project partners in India are strategically placed to ensure our new collaboration has impact at a national policy level within India. Project partner Indu Murthy plays a prominent role in the Long Term Observations (LTEO) Programme, established to understand the biophysical and anthropogenic drivers of ecosystem change and their effects on social-ecological responses. Project partner Murthy is also part of the Indian National Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), which specifically includes an assessment of impact, vulnerability and adaptation of Indian forest ecosystems. The Western Ghats forests, where our continuous monitoring sire will be located, is considered a particularly important ecosystem within the INCCA. Senior scientists and policymakers that are part of the INCCA will be invited to attend the project workshops, with a view to discussing the possibility of our methodology being formally incorporated within INCCA efforts, including potential funding of large-scale extension of our efforts to other sites and ecosystems within India.
3. UK Impacts. We are firmly committed to disseminating the results obtained by this project to the wider public, as we have done with our previous research. We are firm believers in communicating the excitement of our research to university and high school students in the UK. The University of Leeds already has a culture of research-based teaching and the work proposed in this project will be incorporated in appropriate lecture material for Level-2 and Level-3 courses on Ecosystem Processes and Tropical Rainforests, respectively. University Open Days regularly feature the work of our team and we will prepare and Open Day 'taster' sessions on Indian forests and their potential vulnerability to climatic change. We will also propose small sub-projects linked to different data components of the project (e.g. analysis of phenology images) to be led by undergraduate students through the research placement and dissertation modules, providing an opportunity for Leeds students to be directly engaged with the project.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- IISER Pune (Collaboration)
- Kerala Forest Research Institute (Collaboration)
- University of Plymouth (Collaboration)
- TATA Institute of Fundamental Research (Project Partner)
- IISER, Pune (Indian Inst Sci Edu & Res) (Project Partner)
- Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (Project Partner)
- Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (Project Partner)
Publications
Tiwari R
(2021)
Photosynthetic quantum efficiency in south-eastern Amazonian trees may be already affected by climate change.
in Plant, cell & environment
Doughty CE
(2023)
Tropical forests are approaching critical temperature thresholds.
in Nature
Description | The goal of the grant is to determine limits of functioning of tropical forests of Western Ghats in India. These forests host a large diversity - e.g. they are one of the few places where a banana species grows which is genetically different from the main banana clones we are used to eat. It is the habitat of the Gaur, the largest non-extinct buffalo as well of wild cats like the leopard and wide variety of birds. It has been declared a world heritage region by Unesco. At Sirsi in the Western Ghats we have measured tree functiomnal traits related to thermal and hydraulic safety of 10 dominant natural tropical forest species as well as on the order of 30 agriculturally important species like pepper. In parallel we have measured both thermal and hydraulic stress indicators continuously, including canopy temperatures of a forest using a tower. Combined these records permit us to evaluate to what extent shifts in composition are expected as a result of a warming climate. Our data suggest that thermal limits are quite similar around 48 C for the species we measured. Observed temperatures are below these levels but occasionally come close. Thus compositional shifts are expected. Observed spatial habitat shifts of agriculturally important species seem indeed to be related to the limits we have determined. The results for agriculturally important species give guidance to local farmers. One of our collaborators is a farmer and well connected to the farming community. He is one of our links for disseminating our links to the relevant communities. Overall we have created a quite comprehensive dataset for exploring what the consequences of warming is likely to be for one location in the Western Ghats. We have teamed up with colleagues who have made similar measurements at sites further North and South which permits to some extent to generalise insights. Analysis of the tropical forest data is still ongoing. At the site of our studies (Sirsi) continuous measurement of canopy temperatures and soil water levels are ongoing. |
Exploitation Route | We continue to collaborate both with IISER Pune (Dr. Deepak Barua) and Kerala Forest Research Institute-Peechi (Sreejith Kalpuza) to synthesize our results at larger scale. One way to generalize our results is via drones and remote sensing with the aim to determine forest and vegetation stress and scale our local results, |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Education Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
Description | We have used methods to determine resilience of tree and crop species to warming in Western Ghats. These methods will be applicable to farmers in the region and we continue to collaborate with one farm on this topic. The contribution is an improved understanding which trees and crops are most resilient to a warming climate and why this is so. Specifically we have found that agroforestry species in Western Ghats are affected by increasingly high temperatures while forest species are less affected. This result is based on leaf temperature records measured over many months and comparison with physiological thresholds of leaf photosynthesis breakdown (specifically photosystem II). Our grant has led to continued collaboration with IISER Pune including co-supervision of students, workshops and exchange of students. A recently funded NERC grant (Thermos) builds on this collaboration. |
First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
Impact Types | Economic |
Title | Functional traits of tropical forest tree species, Sirsi, Western Ghats, India, 2021 |
Description | This dataset includes tree eco-physiological traits characterising ranges of functioning of various components of trees. Specifically the dataset includes measurements of thermal limits of functioning of photosystem II, hydraulic safety margin, turgor loss point, CO2 assimilation versus temperature curves, leaf morphological traits for nine representative species measured during two seasons: post-monsoon and summer. The overall purpose of the measurements from this project is to determine eco-physiological limits of functioning of tropical trees in Western Ghats India and to relate them to continuously measured temperature and water status of tropical forest trees at a representative site (Sirsi). |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/d057f4e4-c2c7-4cea-a5de-1562f970a533 |
Title | High resolution climate data, Sirsi, Western Ghats, India, 2021-2022 |
Description | The data comprise high resolution climate measurements including temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, wind gust speed, wind direction and dew point measured in an open space in proximity to a forest fragment close to Sirsi, Western Ghats, India in 2021 and 2022. The data provide background information used to determine the safety margins of Indian tropical forests to elevated temperatures and dry conditions. Please see related data for information on leaf temperature, soil moisture, and growth, hydraulic, thermal and photosynthetic traits for a representative set of plant species. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/d7b0dc22-053d-4a91-8e90-2f8b2ab794e4 |
Description | Co-supervision of Masters student Akhil Javad, IISER Pune |
Organisation | IISER Pune |
Country | India |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Ongoing regular meetings and field work design and co-supervision jointly with Dr. Deepak Barua. Will result in at least one publication. |
Collaborator Contribution | Mutual contribution |
Impact | Topic is thermoregulation of tropical forest canopies. Project advances very well. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Global forest canopy temperature network NetCTF |
Organisation | University of Plymouth |
Department | Psychology Plymouth |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Involvement (Co-supervision) of PhD student who examining differences of canopy thermal regulation of high CO2 versus ambient CO2 exposure tree crowns at the BIFOR face experiment and who installed continuous measurement capability at a newly constructed tropical forest canopy overlooking tower in Ghana. Similar to other projects of ours the purpose of these measurements is to obtain a mechanistic understanding of limits of functioning of tropical forests. |
Collaborator Contribution | Measurements of canopy thermal regulation of high CO2 versus ambient CO2 exposure tree crowns at the BIFOR face experiment and installation of continuous measurement capability at a newly constructed tropical forest canopy overlooking tower in Ghana. Similar to other projects of ours the purpose of these measurements is to obtain a mechanistic understanding of limits of functioning of tropical forests. |
Impact | Work ongoing. Very interesting results with manuscripts in preparation. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Resilience of Western Ghats forests to a warming climate |
Organisation | IISER Pune |
Country | India |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | We work in a collaborative manner. One of Deepak's PhD students stayed at Leeds for a several months period. We have weekly meetings via skype where we organise the field work, analyse and plan manuscripts. One particular analysis was suggested by Deepak Barua and a manuscript is in an advanced stage. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our partner Deepak Barua (associate professor) co-leads our continuous monitoring of forest stand functioning as well as ecophysiological measurements on trees characterizing their resilience to heat and drought. He attends weekly meetings with the team at our site in Sirsi, contributes with equipment and intellectually with the project. It is an invaluable contribution to the project. Deepak Barua and his research group contributed essentially to a very successful ecophysiology workshop in Sirsi, India. |
Impact | Too early. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Western Ghats tropical forest observation network |
Organisation | Kerala Forest Research Institute |
Country | India |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Dr. Sreejith Kalpuza runs a network of forest sites in Western Ghats Kerala, South of the site where we study tropical forest vulnerability to heat and drought. Together with sites run by Dr. Barua a large climatic gradient is covered which opens up to generalize our results along this gradient. |
Collaborator Contribution | Sharing of relevant data. |
Impact | Too early still. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Ecophysiology workshop Sirsi, Indian Western Ghats |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Approximately 40 graduate and post-graduate students from all across India attended a 1 week tree ecophysiology workshop organised by the holder of the grant. It included theory, hands on training on instruments like LICOR, a two day project and presentation. The workshop was a success. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Invited talk Plant Ecophysiology Workshop Kerala Forestry Institute KFRI |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |