Microclimate research gained renewed interest over the last decade and its importance for many ecological processes is increasingly being recognized. Consequently, the call for high-resolution microclimatic temperature grids across broad spatial extents is becoming more pressing to improve ecological models. Here, we provide a new set of open-access bioclimatic variables for microclimate temperatures of European forests at 25 × 25 m2 resolution.

• Klíčová slova
• ForestTemp, SoilTemp, biodiversity, boosted regression trees, climate change, ecosystem processes, forest microclimate, species distributions,
• MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• lesy MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• stromy * MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Increasingly available high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) facilitate the use of fine-scale topographic variables as proxies for microclimatic effects not captured by the coarse-grained macroclimate datasets. Species distributions and community assembly rules are, however directly shaped by microclimate and not by topography. DEM-derived topography, sometimes combined with vegetation structure, is thus widely used as a proxy for microclimatic effects in ecological research and conservation applications. However, the suitability of such a strategy has not been evaluated against in situ measured microclimate and species composition. Because bryophytes are highly sensitive to microclimate, they are ideal model organisms for such evaluation. To provide this much needed evaluation, we simultaneously recorded bryophyte species composition, microclimate, and forest vegetation structure at 218 sampling sites distributed across topographically complex sandstone landscape. Using a LiDAR-based DEM with a 1 m resolution, we calculated eleven topographic variables serving as a topographic proxy for microclimate. To characterize vegetation structure, we used hemispherical photographs and LiDAR canopy height models. Finally, we calculated eleven microclimatic variables from a continuous two-year time- series of air and soil temperature and soil moisture. To evaluate topography and vegetation structure as substitutes for the ecological effect of measured microclimate, we partitioned the variation in bryophyte species composition and richness explained by microclimate, topography, and vegetation structure. In situ measured microclimate was clearly the most important driver of bryophyte assemblages in temperate coniferous forests. The most bryophyte-relevant variables were growing degree days, maximum air temperature, and mean soil moisture. Our results thus showed that topographic variables, even when derived from high-resolution LiDAR data and combined with in situ sampled vegetation structure, cannot fully substitute effects of in situ measured microclimate on forest bryophytes.

• Klíčová slova
• Forest bryophytes, Microclimate, Soil moisture, Species composition, TMS microclimate logger, Terrain analysis,
• MeSH
• Bryophyta * MeSH
• lesy MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• půda MeSH
• stromy MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• půda MeSH

Ecological research heavily relies on coarse-gridded climate data based on standardized temperature measurements recorded at 2 m height in open landscapes. However, many organisms experience environmental conditions that differ substantially from those captured by these macroclimatic (i.e. free air) temperature grids. In forests, the tree canopy functions as a thermal insulator and buffers sub-canopy microclimatic conditions, thereby affecting biological and ecological processes. To improve the assessment of climatic conditions and climate-change-related impacts on forest-floor biodiversity and functioning, high-resolution temperature grids reflecting forest microclimates are thus urgently needed. Combining more than 1200 time series of in situ near-surface forest temperature with topographical, biological and macroclimatic variables in a machine learning model, we predicted the mean monthly offset between sub-canopy temperature at 15 cm above the surface and free-air temperature over the period 2000-2020 at a spatial resolution of 25 m across Europe. This offset was used to evaluate the difference between microclimate and macroclimate across space and seasons and finally enabled us to calculate mean annual and monthly temperatures for European forest understories. We found that sub-canopy air temperatures differ substantially from free-air temperatures, being on average 2.1°C (standard deviation ± 1.6°C) lower in summer and 2.0°C higher (±0.7°C) in winter across Europe. Additionally, our high-resolution maps expose considerable microclimatic variation within landscapes, not captured by the gridded macroclimatic products. The provided forest sub-canopy temperature maps will enable future research to model below-canopy biological processes and patterns, as well as species distributions more accurately.

• Klíčová slova
• SoilTemp, biodiversity, boosted regression trees, climate change, ecosystem processes, forest microclimate, species distributions, thermal buffering,
• MeSH
• klimatické změny MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• stromy MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Species distributions are conventionally modelled using coarse-grained macroclimate data measured in open areas, potentially leading to biased predictions since most terrestrial species reside in the shade of trees. For forest plant species across Europe, we compared conventional macroclimate-based species distribution models (SDMs) with models corrected for forest microclimate buffering. We show that microclimate-based SDMs at high spatial resolution outperformed models using macroclimate and microclimate data at coarser resolution. Additionally, macroclimate-based models introduced a systematic bias in modelled species response curves, which could result in erroneous range shift predictions. Critically important for conservation science, these models were unable to identify warm and cold refugia at the range edges of species distributions. Our study emphasizes the crucial role of microclimate data when SDMs are used to gain insights into biodiversity conservation in the face of climate change, particularly given the growing policy and management focus on the conservation of refugia worldwide.

• Klíčová slova
• ForestClim, MaxEnt, ecological niche models, forest plant species, habitat suitability modelling, microclimate, microrefugia, species distribution modelling, species response curves, understorey temperatures,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• klimatické změny MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• stromy MeSH
• Publikační typ
• dopisy MeSH

Climate warming is causing a shift in biological communities in favor of warm-affinity species (i.e., thermophilization). Species responses often lag behind climate warming, but the reasons for such lags remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed multidecadal understory microclimate dynamics in European forests and show that thermophilization and the climatic lag in forest plant communities are primarily controlled by microclimate. Increasing tree canopy cover reduces warming rates inside forests, but loss of canopy cover leads to increased local heat that exacerbates the disequilibrium between community responses and climate change. Reciprocal effects between plants and microclimates are key to understanding the response of forest biodiversity and functioning to climate and land-use changes.

• MeSH
• globální oteplování * MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• stromy fyziologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Coppicing is one of the oldest silvicultural practices and is still widely applied to produce renewable energy from broadleaf forests. However, the consequences on microclimate and understorey vegetation are still poorly understood, especially in Mediterranean oak forests. With the ongoing changes in the climate system and global biodiversity loss, a better understanding of how the forest temperature buffering capacity and below-canopy plant community are impacted by coppicing is crucial. Here we quantify microclimate and understorey vegetation changes in adjacent ancient coppice-with-standards and high forest stands dominated by oaks in Italy, where these systems have been applied for a long time. Air and soil temperatures were recorded for 2.5 years, and nested vegetation plots were used to analyse coppicing effects on species composition, taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. Coppicing significantly reduced the forest temperature buffering capacity. The mean of the daily maximum temperatures over the entire period was 1.45 °C higher in the coppiced sites, whereas the mean of the daily minimum temperatures was 0.62 °C lower than in the high forest. Coppicing increased understorey species richness by favouring generalist taxa, but significantly decreased the proportion of forest specialists. The understorey community in coppiced forests consisted of more warm-adapted species. Moreover, coppicing also led to a loss of phylogenetic evenness and to shifts in diversity and community weighted mean Leaf Dry Matter content, pointing to habitat filtering and acclimation processes. In sum, we show that coppicing affects microclimate and understory vegetation in a direction that can exacerbate the effects of climate change, negatively affecting the oak forest specialist flora and its phylogenetic evenness.

• Klíčová slova
• Coppice management, Mediterranean forest, Microclimate, Phylogenetic community structure, Plant diversity, Understorey,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• dub (rod) * MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• lesy MeSH
• mikroklima MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Bertrand et al question our interpretation about warming effects on the thermophilization in forest plant communities and propose an alternative way to analyze climatic debt. We show that microclimate warming is a better predictor than macroclimate warming for studying forest plant community responses to warming. Their additional analyses do not affect or change our interpretations and conclusions.

• MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• komentáře MeSH

Schall and Heinrichs question our interpretation that the climatic debt in understory plant communities is locally modulated by canopy buffering. However, our results clearly show that the discrepancy between microclimate warming rates and thermophilization rates is highest in forests where canopy cover was reduced, which suggests that the need for communities to respond to warming is highest in those forests.

• MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• komentáře MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• CLIMATE *, INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE *,
• MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• podnebí * MeSH
• práce * MeSH
• pracovní lékařství * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The paper deals with the problem of interrelationship between macroclimate of the region, mesoclimate of the biotope studied and microclimate of the tick niches proper, necessary for the research of tick ecology. New methods for the solution of microclimatological studies are proposed and the relationship between macro-and mesoclimate, or that between temperature in the tick cage and environment, is formulated. In choosing optimal intervals of data acquisition a two-hour interval (every even hour of the day) has proved to be the most suitable.

• MeSH
• ekologie MeSH
• klíšťata fyziologie   MeSH
• meteorologické pojmy MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• podnebí * MeSH
• rozmnožování MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• vlhkost MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Československo MeSH