What the study found
Pantropical moist forests are showing a biome-dependent trend toward a middle range of leaf longevity, which is the length of time leaves remain functional. The study reports that forests with very long leaf longevity are tending to shorten, while forests with short leaf longevity are tending to lengthen.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these patterns may reflect large-scale structural and functional adaptations across pantropical moist forests. They say the findings are helpful for predicting climate-driven risks to ecosystem stability.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used ground measurements and gridded leaf age-dependent leaf area index data to map continental-scale variation in annual mean leaf longevity across pantropical moist forests from 2001 to 2023. They examined how leaf longevity varied across regions under ongoing climate change.
What worked and what didn't
In Amazon and tropical Asia, where leaf longevity was greater than about 1.8 years, leaf longevity decreased with rising temperature and stronger atmospheric dryness. In Congo and subtropical Asia, where forests had leaf longevity below about 1.8 years, leaf longevity increased. The study also reports that this convergence was associated with maximization of plant functional traits, photosynthesis, and species evenness, which were expected to better resist climate variability.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the study’s focus on pantropical moist forests and the 2001–2023 period. The findings are presented as emerging evidence from the data and methods described.
Key points
- Leaf longevity in pantropical moist forests is converging toward a middle range.
- Forests in Amazon and tropical Asia showed decreasing leaf longevity when it was already long.
- Forests in Congo and subtropical Asia showed increasing leaf longevity when it was short.
- The reported drivers include rising temperature and intensified atmospheric dryness.
- The authors link the convergence to traits, photosynthesis, and species evenness.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Pantropical moist forests are shifting toward mid-range leaf longevity
- Authors:
- Meimei Xue, Xueqin Yang, Xiuzhi Chen, Philippe Ciais, liming zhou, Peter B. Reich, Jingfeng Xiao, Xing Li, Xiangming Xiao, Julia K. Green, Jing Ming Chen, Jane Liu, Jiali Shang, Xiangzhong Luo, Jie Tian, Hui Liu, Peng Zhu, Kai Yan, Xinyue Fu, Liusheng Han, Wenping Yuan, Chaoyang Wu
- Institutions:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Albany State University, CEA Paris-Saclay, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, National University of Singapore, Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Peking University, Shandong University of Technology, South China Botanical Garden, State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Université Paris-Saclay, University at Albany, State University of New York, University of Arizona, University of Hong Kong, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of New Hampshire, University of Oklahoma, University of Toronto, University of Toronto
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-29
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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