Research investigating how climate change has affected coastal forests over the past 10 years

Map of changes between sampling intervals in forested areas in low-elevation and mid-elevation (cross) counties created from FIA. Credit: PLOS Climate (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000444
A new study finds that climate change may have contrasting effects on coastal forests, slowing or enabling growth in areas where sea levels rise and storms occur more frequently.
The researchers looked at 10 years of forest growth data from two types of environments: coastal areas less than 5 meters (20 feet) above sea level and inland areas between 30 and 50 meters above sea level on the mid-Atlantic, southeastern, and Gulf coasts of the United States. We compared. (Over 100 feet elevation). They found that while forests expanded in both environments over the past decade, some coastal areas had significantly lower tree growth and higher mortality rates compared to higher elevation areas.
Marcelo Ardon, associate professor in the North Carolina State University School of Natural Resources, is the lead author of a paper on the study. He said the expansion of forests at both mid- and low-elevations was unexpected. The study is published in the journal PLOS Climate.
“We were a little surprised to see an increase in forest area and forest biomass at both elevations, but that may be related to agricultural abandonment,” Aldon said. “Despite that expansion, we found that overall biomass gains were still smaller in lowlands exposed to sea level rise compared to higherlands.”
The researchers were also surprised to find a positive correlation between forest growth and an increase in coastal storms. Aldon said that despite the large number of dead trees, the space left by the new clearings could allow for new growth.
“In some ways, these storms can function similarly to controlled fires,” he said, adding to forestry practices that use targeted fires to thin out areas of dense, overgrown vegetation. Mentioned.
“By taking down these older trees, we remove the overhead canopy and allow more light to reach the forest floor, which resets the succession to younger trees.”
The researchers used data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. This program is unique in that it relies on hand-collected field data rather than satellite monitoring. This allowed the researchers to analyze the carbon storage capacity of trees downed by coastal storms, highlighting the study as an important area for future research.
“In the process of studying other effects of climate change, we also learned that we really need to spend more time understanding this dead tree,” Aldon said. “There’s a lot of carbon in both dead trees and the ground, but we don’t really understand it.”
Further information: Marcelo Ardón et al, “Coastal Carbon Watchers: Decadal forest changes along the US eastern coast show complex climate change dynamics,” PLOS Climate (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000444
Provided by North Carolina State University
Citation: Study investigates how climate change has shaped coastal forests over the past decade (January 16, 2025) https://phys.org/news/2025-01-climate- Retrieved January 16, 2025 from coastal-forests-decade.html
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