Determining the temperature acclimation capacity of Australian rainforest trees growing in warm and cool climates

Abstract

The effect of climate warming on rainforest trees, including temperate, subtropical and tropical rainforests is poorly understood. Tropical rainforest tree species are particularly threatened by climate warming and may experience a decline of growth in the future, which would be a major problem given their importance in the global carbon budget and in regulating global climate. Hence, we need to predict the response of rainforests in a future warmer world. To make such projections, we need to quantify the physiological and ecological responses of rainforest tree species to warming, particularly in tropical species, and determine their physiological thermal limits. My broad goal in this thesis is to investigate the mechanisms underpinning the various physiological responses by which rainforest tree species from different latitudes adjust to warming, including heatwaves. Overall, this thesis provides a mechanistic understanding of the physiological processes that change in response to warming in rainforest tree species from different biomes. Tropical tree species can clearly cope with less warming compared to temperate tree species. This has implications for predicting rainforest responses to warming along a latitudinal gradient, including potentially reduced carbon uptake in tropical ecosystems in a future, warmer world.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English