Introduction

Higher temperature variability in deforested mountain regions impacts the competitive advantage of nocturnal species

“…Although dense forests can absorb 75–90% of incoming solar radiation [58], in deforested habitats, moisture loss and increased exposure to short-wave radiation (UV and visible light) [59] increase daily maximum temperature. Moreover, at night in forests, long-wave (infrared) radiation from the surface is absorbed and partially reflected by the canopy, resulting in higher night-time temperatures in forests than in open habitats [60,61]. Our results from the global microclimate modelling show that deforestation significantly increases temperature variation experienced by organisms, not just in tropical regions but also in temperate regions at higher elevations.…”

Where do the Tropical Owls Roost: Multiscale Habitat Variables Explain Roost Site Selection by Two Sympatric Otus Species in the Andaman Archipelago, India

“…Large number of O. balli roosts were recorded from evergreen forests (Appendix 1) where the species dissipate heat by roosting close to the ground. In evergreen forests, especially during summer, the ground experiences a nearly 5 to 7 °C cooler temperature than the top canopy (Geiger 1965, Barrows 1981). On the other hand, O. sunia roosts were largely found in moist deciduous forests (71%), where the canopy openness was greater compared to that in evergreen forests, since deciduous trees shed their leaves during summer.…”

Tree diversity increases forest temperature buffering

“…Global warming and its impacts on the world’s forests 1 are largely studied as effects of air temperatures measured outside forests in open-ground conditions (also referred to as macroclimate) 6 . However, this omits that forests can buffer temperature extremes such as hot and cold spells to some extent by creating their own microclimate below their canopy 2,3,9 , from which other organisms benefit, including sub-canopy trees. Among earth’s terrestrial ecosystems, forests are likely the one with the strongest air temperature buffering (hereafter ‘temperature buffering’) capacity owing to their often multi-layered canopies, which provide evapotranspirative cooling and shading, and decrease the mixing of air layers 3,7 .…”

“…However, this omits that forests can buffer temperature extremes such as hot and cold spells to some extent by creating their own microclimate below their canopy 2,3,9 , from which other organisms benefit, including sub-canopy trees. Among earth’s terrestrial ecosystems, forests are likely the one with the strongest air temperature buffering (hereafter ‘temperature buffering’) capacity owing to their often multi-layered canopies, which provide evapotranspirative cooling and shading, and decrease the mixing of air layers 3,7 . Temperature buffering occurs when microclimate temperature fluctuations are smaller than fluctuations in macroclimate temperatures 6 .…”

“… Summary paragraph Global warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of climate extremes 1 . Forests may buffer such extreme events by creating their own microclimate below their canopy via cooling hot and insulating against cold macroclimate air temperatures 2,3 . This buffering capacity of forests may be increased by tree diversity 4,5 and may itself maintain forest functioning and biodiversity 6,7 .…”