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A risk assessment framework for the future of forest microbiomes in a changing climate

Nature Climate Change volume 14, pages 448–461 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Microbes inhabiting the above- and belowground tissues of forest trees and soils play a critical role in the response of forest ecosystems to global climate change. However, generalizations about the vulnerability of the forest microbiome to climate change have been challenging due to responses that are often context dependent. Here we apply a risk assessment framework to evaluate microbial community vulnerability to climate change across forest ecosystems. We define factors that determine exposure risk and processes that amplify or buffer sensitivity to change, and describe feedback mechanisms that will modulate this exposure and sensitivity as climatic change progresses. This risk assessment approach unites microbial ecology and forest ecology to develop a more comprehensive understanding of forest vulnerability in the twenty-first century.

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Fig. 1: The forest microbiome in a changing climate.
Fig. 2: An organizational framework for studying forest microbiomes in a changing climate.
Fig. 3: Scales of forest microbiome exposure to climate change.
Fig. 4: Microbial sensitivity and underlying traits and trade-offs.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. Dudney, R. Cruz de Hoyos, A. Guzman and R. Jackson for helpful feedback on this manuscript, and A. Venturini for help with translating our abstract into Portuguese for our readership. Additionally, we would like to thank D. Martinez for her input on potential synergies between Indigenous and Western science in the context of this article.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: C. E. Willing, P. T. Pellitier.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    C. E. Willing, P. T. Pellitier, M. E. Van Nuland, J. Alvarez-Manjarrez, L. Berrios, K. N. Chin, L. M. Villa, J. J. Yeam & K. G. Peay

  2. University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA

    C. E. Willing

  3. Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), Dover, DE, USA

    M. E. Van Nuland

  4. Micología Integral, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

    J. Alvarez-Manjarrez

  5. Karuk Tribe, Happy Camp, CA, USA

    S. D. Bourque & W. Tripp

  6. Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

    V. O. Leshyk

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Contributions

C.E.W., P.T.P. and K.G.P. jointly conceived of the paper. C.E.W. and P.T.P. jointly wrote the paper with input from all co-authors. C.E.W. and P.T.P. share first authorship. C.E.W., L.M.V., S.D.B. and W.T. conceived of and wrote Box 1. V.O.L. designed Fig. 1 with input from C.E.W. and P.T.P. C.E.W. designed Fig. 2 with input from M.E.V.N. and P.T.P. Figure 3 was designed by M.E.V.N., C.E.W. and J.A.-M. P.T.P. wrote Box 2 with input from call co-authors. Figure 4 was designed by C.E.W. and P.T.P. All authors have read and approved the final version of the paper.

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Spanish and Portuguese translations of the abstract.

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Willing, C.E., Pellitier, P.T., Van Nuland, M.E. et al. A risk assessment framework for the future of forest microbiomes in a changing climate. Nat. Clim. Chang. 14, 448–461 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02000-7

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