Year: 2010
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: At present there is no doubt that climate change is affecting the structure, function and the geographic distribution of temperate ecosystems at regional and global scales; however in Mexico information about impacts of climate change on temperate forest ecosystems are scarce.The present chapter presents two studies of the effect of climate change on distribution of species of pines and oaks, and the change in functional groups composition of temperate forests ecosystems in Mexico; and, finally we resume a experience on identifying adaptation measures in a local forestry sector to climate change with three participatory workshops with key actors in forestry at state level.We realized a projection for the year 2050 that included two scenarios, a severe and a conservative one of how climate change would impact spatial distribution to 17 species of oaks and 17 species of pines at national level.Results of this study showed that the effect of alterations in temperature and precipitation modeled under both climate-change scenarios will reduce the current ranges of geographic distribution of almost all species of oaks and pines.Responses of these species to the different scenarios of climate change are predicted to be speciesspecific and related to each species affinity.The most affected species under the severe and conservative climate change scenarios will be P. rudis, P. chihuahuana, P. culminicola, P.oocarpa, Q. acutifolia, Q. crispipilis, and Q. peduncularis.On the other hand we show an analysis of the possible responses of functional groups was based on the construction of an ensemble of eight general circulation models with four scenarios of global emissions, and a Japanese model of regional high resolution (20 x 20 km) for Oaxaca state at South of Mexico.The ensemble of climate change scenarios suggested that by 2050 the temperature of the region will increase between 1.5 and 2.5°C, and rainfall will vary between +5 and -10% on current annual total precipitation.The sensibility analysis pointed that for the climate change scenario in 2050 genera as Abies and Pinus restricted their distribution area, in contrast, gender or drought-tolerant shrubs are likely to increase their geographic 11 www.intechopen.com Climate Change and Variability 196distribution.In another regional study in Tlaxcala (central Mexico) climate change scenarios projected a condition of drier and warmer (lower soil moisture) climate during the spring, thus the risk of forest fires would increase.Besides, losses of climate change of cover forest are another hazard in the state like illegal logging and land use change.It is estimated that by 2080 there will be only about 40% of the actual forest area in Tlaxcala by illegal logging and harvesting practices.Therefore, climate change will accelerate the forests loss in the state and in two or three decades will be very little remaining to preserve.As a result of a series of stakeholders in Tlaxcala we identified adaptation strategies that we grouped under three headings: reforestation, forest conservation and production. How to referenceIn order to correctly reference this scholarly work, feel free to copy and paste the following: Leopoldo Galicia and Leticia Gomez-Mendoza (2010).
Source: Sciyo eBooks
Parent work: Climate Change and Variability
DOI: 10.5772/9809
Authors: Leopoldo Galicia, Leticia Gomez-Mendoz
Language: English
Subfield: Ecological Modeling
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Climate action
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W1586672077