An operational definition of the biome for global change research

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dc.contributor.authorConradi, Timoen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSlingsby, Jasper A.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMidgley, Guy F.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorNottebrock, Henningen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSchweiger, Andreas H.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorHiggins, Steven I.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-19T10:29:11Z
dc.date.available2023-01-19T10:29:11Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.descriptionCITATION: Conradi, T. et al. 2020. An operational definition of the biome for global change research. New Phytologist, 227:1294–1306, doi:10.1111/nph.16580.
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
dc.description.abstractBiomes are constructs for organising knowledge on the structure and functioning of the world’s ecosystems, and serve as useful units for monitoring how the biosphere responds to anthropogenic drivers, including climate change. The current practice of delimiting biomes relies on expert knowledge. Recent studies have questioned the value of such biome maps for comparative ecology and global-change research, partly due to their subjective origin. Here we propose a flexible method for developing biome maps objectively. The method uses range modelling of several thousands of plant species to reveal spatial attractors for different growth-form assemblages that define biomes. The workflow is illustrated using distribution data from 23 500 African plant species. In an example application, we create a biome map for Africa and use the fitted species models to project biome shifts. In a second example, we map gradients of growth-form suitability that can be used to identify sites for comparative ecology. This method provides a flexible framework that (1) allows a range of biome types to be defined according to user needs and (2) enables projections of biome changes that emerge purely from the individualistic responses of plant species to environmental changes.en_ZA
dc.description.versionPublisher's version
dc.format.extent13 pages : illustrations (some color), mapsen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationConradi, T. et al. 2020. An operational definition of the biome for global change research. New Phytologist, 227:1294–1306, doi:10.1111/nph.16580.
dc.identifier.issn1469-8137 (online)
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.1111/nph.16580
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126256
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherWiley Online
dc.rights.holderAuthors retain copyright
dc.subjectBiomesen_ZA
dc.subjectBiotic communities -- Environmental aspectsen_ZA
dc.subjectGlobal change, Environmentalen_ZA
dc.subjectPlant species -- Climatic factorsen_ZA
dc.subjectGlobal temperature changes -- Environmental aspectsen_ZA
dc.subjectEcosystem assemblyen_ZA
dc.subjectSpecies distribution modellingen_ZA
dc.titleAn operational definition of the biome for global change researchen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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