Chapter 16
Potential Impacts of Climate Change
on Forest Habitats in the Biosphere Reserve
Vessertal-Thuringian Forest in Germany
Nico Frischbier, Ingolf Profft, and Ulrike Hagemann
16.1 Forest Ecosystems Under a Changing
Climate – The Status Quo
Forests are particularly sensitive to climate change as the long life-span of trees
does not allow for rapid adaptation to environmental changes (Profft and Frischbier
2009; Lindner et al. 2010). Climate change considerably influences forest ecosystems through the potential alteration of temperature and precipitation regimes as
well as the intensity and frequency of disturbances. Two decades of research have
identified drought, heat waves, storm events and forest fires as some of the most
relevant impacts for forestry. Climate change can also alter the distribution and life
cycle of forest pests, thus modifying the species composition of forest ecosystems
(Jo ¨nsson et al. 2009; Lindner et al. 2010). In contrast, longer vegetation periods,
increased atmospheric CO 2 concentration and, regionally, precipitation may positively affect forests and some native species (Zebisch et al. 2005; Bolte et al. 2009;
Araujo et al. 2011; Kind et al. 2011; Milad et al. 2011). The sensitivity and
vulnerability of forestry, forests and forest habitat types to climate change impacts
generally depends on tree species and tree species composition, soil conditions,
current climatic conditions and the rate of change.
However, the adaptation potential of forest ecosystems may be restricted by
historic and current land use. Since the large-scale forest clearance in medieval
times, forests in Central Europe are often restricted to locations where shallow soil,
nutrient deficiency, topography, climatic extremes and water deficiency or surplus
N. Frischbier (*) • I. Profft
Service and Competence Centre of Thu ¨ringenForst,
Ja ¨gerstraße 1, DE-99867 Gotha, Germany
e-mail: nico.frischbier@forst.thueringen.de; ingolf.profft@forst.thueringen.de
U. Hagemann
Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research e.V.,
Eberswalder Straße 84, DE-15374 Mu ¨ncheberg, Germany
e-mail: ulrike.hagemann@zalf.de
S. Rannow and M. Neubert (eds.), Managing Protected Areas in Central
and Eastern Europe Under Climate Change, Advances in Global Change Research 58,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7960-0_16, © The Author(s) 2014
243
Potential Impacts of Climate Change
on Forest Habitats in the Biosphere Reserve
Vessertal-Thuringian Forest in Germany
Nico Frischbier, Ingolf Profft, and Ulrike Hagemann
16.1 Forest Ecosystems Under a Changing
Climate – The Status Quo
Forests are particularly sensitive to climate change as the long life-span of trees
does not allow for rapid adaptation to environmental changes (Profft and Frischbier
2009; Lindner et al. 2010). Climate change considerably influences forest ecosystems through the potential alteration of temperature and precipitation regimes as
well as the intensity and frequency of disturbances. Two decades of research have
identified drought, heat waves, storm events and forest fires as some of the most
relevant impacts for forestry. Climate change can also alter the distribution and life
cycle of forest pests, thus modifying the species composition of forest ecosystems
(Jo ¨nsson et al. 2009; Lindner et al. 2010). In contrast, longer vegetation periods,
increased atmospheric CO 2 concentration and, regionally, precipitation may positively affect forests and some native species (Zebisch et al. 2005; Bolte et al. 2009;
Araujo et al. 2011; Kind et al. 2011; Milad et al. 2011). The sensitivity and
vulnerability of forestry, forests and forest habitat types to climate change impacts
generally depends on tree species and tree species composition, soil conditions,
current climatic conditions and the rate of change.
However, the adaptation potential of forest ecosystems may be restricted by
historic and current land use. Since the large-scale forest clearance in medieval
times, forests in Central Europe are often restricted to locations where shallow soil,
nutrient deficiency, topography, climatic extremes and water deficiency or surplus
N. Frischbier (*) • I. Profft
Service and Competence Centre of Thu ¨ringenForst,
Ja ¨gerstraße 1, DE-99867 Gotha, Germany
e-mail: nico.frischbier@forst.thueringen.de; ingolf.profft@forst.thueringen.de
U. Hagemann
Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research e.V.,
Eberswalder Straße 84, DE-15374 Mu ¨ncheberg, Germany
e-mail: ulrike.hagemann@zalf.de
S. Rannow and M. Neubert (eds.), Managing Protected Areas in Central
and Eastern Europe Under Climate Change, Advances in Global Change Research 58,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7960-0_16, © The Author(s) 2014
243