Contrasting thermophilization among forests, grasslands and alpine summits.
| Title: | Contrasting thermophilization among forests, grasslands and alpine summits. |
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| Authors: | Yue K; Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China. kyleyuechina@163.com.; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium. kyleyuechina@163.com.; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Helsinki, Finland. kyleyuechina@163.com.; Vangansbeke P; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium.; Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels, Belgium.; Myers-Smith IH; Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.; Waller DM; Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.; Verheyen K; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium.; Bernhardt-Römermann M; Institute of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.; Senckenberg Institute for Plant Form and Function Jena (SIP), Jena, Germany.; Baeten L; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium.; Staude IR; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.; Bjorkman AD; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.; Hédl R; Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.; Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.; Andrews C; UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Penicuik, UK.; Barni E; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.; Becker T; Geobotany, Regional and Environmental Sciences, University of Trier, Trier, Germany.; Becker-Scarpitta A; CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France.; Benito-Alonso JL; GLORIA-Aragon Coordination, Jolube Consultor Botánico y Editor, Huesca, Spain.; Bennie J; Centre for Geography and Environmental Science, Exeter University, Penryn, UK.; Berki I; Faculty of Forestry, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary.; Blüml V; BMS-Umweltplanung, Osnabrück, Germany.; Brunet J; Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.; Bullock JM; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UK.; Van Calster H; Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels, Belgium.; Carbognani M; Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.; Chudomelová M; Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.; Closset-Kopp D; UMR CNRS 7058, 'Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés' (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.; Dan Turtureanu P; A. Borza Botanic Garden, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.; Daskalova GN; Department of Conservation Biology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.; Decocq G; UMR CNRS 7058, 'Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés' (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.; Dick J; UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Penicuik, UK.; Diekmann M; Institute of Ecology, FB 2, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.; Dirnböck T; Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria.; Durak T; Faculty of Biology and Nature Protection, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland.; Eriksson O; Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.; Erschbamer B; Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.; Graae BJ; Department of Biology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.; Heinken T; Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.; Hermy M; Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.; Horchler P; Department of Vegetation Studies and Landscape Management, Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany.; Jandt U; Institute of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.; Department of Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.; Jaroszewicz B; Białowieża Geobotanical Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Białowieża, Poland.; Kanka R; Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.; Kollár J; Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.; Kopecký M; Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic.; Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha, Czech Republic.; Kudernatsch T; Bavarian State Institute of Forestry, Freising, Germany.; Lamprecht A; GLORIA co-ordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research (ÖAW-IGF), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.; GLORIA co-ordination, Institute of Botany, Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria.; Lenoir J; UMR CNRS 7058, 'Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés' (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.; Macek M; Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic.; Malicki M; Department of Botany, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.; Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.; Máliš F; Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia.; Michelsen O; Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.; Mitchell F; Botany Department and Trinity Centre for Biodiversity Research, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.; Naaf T; Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Muencheberg, Germany.; Nagel TA; Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; Newman M; Botany Department and Trinity Centre for Biodiversity Research, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.; Newton AC; Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK.; Nicklas L; Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.; Oddi L; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.; Orczewska A; Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.; Orsenigo S; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.; Ortmann-Ajkai A; Department of Hydrobiology, Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.; Ouden JD; Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands.; Pauli H; GLORIA co-ordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research (ÖAW-IGF), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.; GLORIA co-ordination, Institute of Botany, Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria.; Peterken G; Beechwood House, St Briavels, UK.; Petřík P; Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic.; Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.; Pielech R; Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Kraków, Poland.; Puşcaş M; A. Borza Botanic Garden, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.; Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.; Randin C; Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.; Fondation du Jardin botanique Flore-Alpe, Champex-Lac, Switzerland.; CIRM, Bramois, Switzerland.; Reczyńska K; Department of Botany, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.; Rixen C; WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland.; Climate Change, Extremes and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, Davos, Switzerland.; Schei FH; Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Bergen, Norway.; Schmidt W; Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.; Šebesta J; Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.; Stachurska-Swakon A; Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Kraków, Poland.; Standovár T; Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.; Świerkosz K; Museum of Natural History, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.; Teleki B; Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Education and Regional Development, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary.; Theurillat JP; Fondation du Jardin botanique Flore-Alpe, Champex-Lac, Switzerland.; Department of Plant Sciences, University of Geneva, Chambésy, Switzerland.; Ursu TM; Institute of Biological Research Cluj, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.; Vanneste T; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium.; Vellend M; Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.; Vergeer P; Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.; Vild O; Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.; Villar L; Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, IPE-CSIC, Jaca, Spain.; Vittoz P; Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.; Winkler M; GLORIA co-ordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research (ÖAW-IGF), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.; GLORIA co-ordination, Institute of Botany, Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity, BOKU University, Vienna, Austria.; Wipf S; WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland.; Wu F; Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China.; Zhang S; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium.; De Frenne P; Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium. |
| Source: | Nature [Nature] 2026 May; Vol. 653 (8115), pp. 765-769. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Mar 18. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Nature Publishing Group Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0410462 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1476-4687 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00280836 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Nature Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Basingstoke : Nature Publishing Group; Original Publication: London, Macmillan Journals ltd. |
| MeSH Terms: | Forests* ; Global Warming* ; Grassland*; Altitude ; Biodiversity ; Europe ; Temperature |
| Abstract: | Climate warming is shifting biological communities, with warmth-demanding species being favoured at the expense of cold-adapted species in a process referred to as thermophilization1-4. Because biodiversity responses often lag behind climate warming, climatic debts are accumulating in many ecosystems across the world5-7. Although we might expect that thermophilization and climatic debts will vary among habitats, standardized quantification across ecosystems is lacking. Here we analysed multidecadal data from 6,067 resurveyed vegetation plots over 12-78 years in forests, grasslands and on alpine summits across Europe. We demonstrate that forest understory and grassland plant communities experienced positive thermophilization, although not significantly different from zero. By contrast, alpine summit vegetation showed much stronger (up to five times) and significant thermophilization. Thermophilization was driven largely by increases in warmth-demanding species in grasslands, by declines in cold-adapted species on alpine summits and by both processes in forests. Significant climatic debts have accumulated in forests and alpine summits, but less so in grasslands, with debts positively correlated with macroclimate temperature changes. Our findings uncover divergent thermophilization trajectories and increasing climatic debts across ecosystems. Moreover, we highlight the mechanisms that enable some communities to track climate change more closely than others and provide a basis for projecting future shifts in plant communities under accelerating climate warming.; (© 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.) |
| Competing Interests: | Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. |
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| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260319 Date Completed: 20260521 Latest Revision: 20260521 |
| Update Code: | 20260521 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41586-025-09622-7 |
| PMID: | 41851458 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article