Report! Your Retreat is facing extreme weather threats!

Until this year, camping, a strong trend that has swept the country since 2020, has not yet died down, which also indirectly reflects everyone's desire for nature in the post-epidemic era. Whether hiking or camping, everyone is trying to explore the wild outside of urban life. And more and more people go a step further and try a retreat activity called Retreat to return to nature. Just as its original meaning is "retreat" and "retreat", people build relationships between people and nature in the forest by staying away from the busy and consuming modern urban life to relax and relieve stress.

When you step into the forest, you will feel relaxed and you will see many plants with fern-like leaves. They are ferns. Don't underestimate these green plants. Ferns have a history of about 300 million years . 300 million years ago, ferns grew into trees, up to 30 meters high. During the long period from the end of the Devonian period to the Carboniferous period, ferns were the main plant group on Earth at that time and flourished for a time. In order to adapt to environmental changes, most of them have now evolved into short herbaceous plants and become dominant species in the forest herbaceous layer (a species that has an advantage in a certain area of ​​habitat and has strong competitiveness).

Among these ferns, only Alsophila spinulosa, the only remaining woody fern on Earth, has retained its original appearance , allowing us to get a glimpse of the splendor of the time from its tall and upright figure. However, due to climate change, the living environment of this rare fern is under threat.

Alsophila spinulosa is one of the oldest existing tree species in the world and one of the first eight first-level endangered plants (Cathay, Metasequoia, Taiwania baldness, Parashorea chinensis, Davidia involucrata, Panax ginseng, Alsophila spinulosa, Camellia chrysantha) announced in my country. It has extremely high research value and ornamental practical value. They mostly live in the forest under high temperature, high humidity and not exposed to direct sunlight. In the Jurassic period 180 million years ago, it flourished as the main food of dinosaurs. Like dinosaurs, it is one of the two major symbols of the reptile age. Dinosaurs have long been extinct, but Alsophila spinulosa has survived and still grows in tropical rainforests, becoming a living fossil that witnesses the evolution of the earth.

But even as a "living fossil", Alsophila spinulosa cannot avoid the impact of climate change. Like many ferns in the forest, it is highly sensitive and strictly selective to its growth environment, and it is difficult for it to survive once the suitable temperature and humidity conditions are destroyed.

In addition, global warming has caused the distribution of Alsophila spinulosa to move northward and to higher altitudes.

Climate change will affect the distribution of species and vegetation in the region and even globally. The potential habitat of Alsophila spinulosa is mainly located in the tropical and subtropical mountains south of about 32°20'N in China. Under the influence of global warming, the lowest temperature in the coldest month will continue to rise, while the precipitation in the driest month will show a decreasing trend. The mild and humid environment suitable for the growth of Alsophila spinulosa will shrink, causing the potential habitat of Alsophila spinulosa to move northward and reduce in area. It is predicted that by 2070, the center of the potential habitat of Alsophila spinulosa will move from central Guangdong along the northwest to northern Guangxi, and then move to western Hunan.

In addition to the shrinking environmental space suitable for growth, the reproduction process of Alsophila spinulosa is also facing severe challenges.

How did Alsophila spinulosa survive for hundreds of millions of years? The book The Secret Life of Ferns mentions that fern seeds were once a mystery to botanists because Alsophila spinulosa and other ferns have a unique way of reproduction: they do not bloom, bear fruit, or have seeds, but rely on "spores" to reproduce.

There are many ascospores on the back of Alsophila's leaves. When mature, the sporangium will split open and the spores will eject. The tiny spores, like dust, will be suspended in the air, scattered by the wind, drifting along the water, and choosing where to live. They take root and multiply in valleys, streams, and warm and humid mountains.

Despite the huge amount of spores, slight changes in temperature and humidity may affect their growth, resulting in a very low survival rate.

The development process of Alsophila spinulosa is greatly affected by the changing environment. First of all, it takes a long time for Alsophila spinulosa spores to grow into sporophytes . It takes about a year for them to germinate and grow smoothly under suitable temperature and humidity conditions. In addition, the season suitable for Alsophila spinulosa growth is very short. When the outside temperature is below 15 degrees Celsius or above 28 degrees Celsius, Alsophila spinulosa will enter a dormant period . It is predicted that the overall climate in the potential habitat of Alsophila spinulosa will have a significant warming trend in the next 50 years, and the annual temperature range will narrow. Such endangered plants that grow slowly and have a complex and difficult natural reproduction process are at an increased risk of extinction under the influence of climate change.

Alsophila spinulosa is just a microcosm of the thousands of plants affected by climate change. Global warming not only increases the risk of extinction of rare and endangered species, but also poses a serious threat to vegetation patterns and the structure and function of ecosystems.

Ferns are an important component of the biodiversity in the understory herbaceous layer of forest ecosystems and have a significant impact on maintaining forest biodiversity.

Studies have shown that short-term warming has led to a significant decrease in the overall proportion of ferns in herbaceous plant communities. The biodiversity of herbaceous plants in forest communities has generally declined with rising temperatures.

Under the condition of global warming, the original interspecific competition relationship in the biological community will be broken due to the different responses of different species to rising temperatures. The dominant species in the community will also change accordingly, causing the species to tend to develop in a homogeneous manner.

We must face the fact that climate change is affecting Alsophila spinulosa and is also changing the phenology, growth, interspecific relationships and distribution of forest plant species as a whole.

When we try to establish a connection between ourselves and nature in nature, we will find that plants have the same delicate structure as humans. There is liquid flowing in the body of trees. If you have a stethoscope and put it against the plant's skin, you can hear the sound of the juice flowing, just like the beating of a human heart. We can also better understand that the impact of climate change on our living conditions and the natural environment is synchronized.

Humans can continue to take retreat activities, go to the forest and embrace nature. They can choose to temporarily withdraw from the unstoppable development process, immerse themselves and reflect on themselves. However, it is difficult to retreat from the severely damaged ecological environment and the increasingly severe climate conditions.

So how can we protect the nature that relieves us of our fatigue? In fact, there are many small actions that reveal human thinking and choices.

By taking action, we can actually wipe away the fatigue of nature.

Written by: IBo

Edited by: Rourou, Liang Yuan

Design\Layout: Rourou, Hara

The cover and first image of this article are from inaturalist

User W. Jasmine Chen

The last picture is from inaturalist

User taiwan_reevesia

References:

1. Fossil Network - Pteridophyta

2. Jiang Youxu, Guo Quanshui, Ma Juan, et al. Classification and community characteristics of Chinese forest communities[M]

3. https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/37799747

4. Zhao Ruibai, Yang Xiaobo, Li Donghai, et al. Study on the geographical distribution and distribution characteristics of Alsophilaceae plants in Hainan Island[J]. Forestry Resources Management, 2018(2):65-73,97. DOI:10.13466/j.cnki.lyzygl.2018.02.012.

5. Wang Xin, Ren Yizhao, Huang Qin, et al. Habitat suitability evaluation of the endangered plant Alsophila spinulosa in the Chishui River region based on GIS and Maxent model[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2021, 41(15): 6123-6133. DOI:10.5846/stxb202007211908.

6.Bellard c, Bertelsmeier c, Leadley P, Thuiller w, courseInp F. Impacts of climate change on the future 0f biodiversity． Ecology Lette, 2012 15(4): 365-377.

7. Wu Lisu, Chen Jie, Song Fei, et al. Impact of global warming on forest ecosystems[J]. Anhui Agricultural Sciences, 2016(8):174-17

8. Xu Bin, Zhu Wenquan, Li Peixian. Distribution of potential suitable habitats of Alsophila spinulosa in China under different climatic conditions[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2020, 40(17): 6105-6117. DOI: 10.5846/stxb201907241565.

9. "Beautiful China: Nature" Documentary Jianfengling Series - Living Fossils of Plants

10. Weng Tao. Ecological highlights of Chishui and ecological poverty alleviation[J]. Man and Biosphere, 2019(4):34-35. DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1009-1661.2019.04.011.

11. He Xiaojia, Zhang Yuguang, Zhang Jiutian, et al. Study on the strategies of biodiversity adaptation to climate change in China[J]. Progress in Modern Biomedicine, 2012, 12(20): 3966-3969,3984.

12. Fang Jingyun, Zhu Jiangling, Shi Yue. Response of ecosystems to global warming[J]. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2018, 63(2): 136-140. DOI: 10.1360/N972017-00916.

13. Chen Bo, Jin Shengyang, Huang Ruijian, et al. Analysis of energy characteristics of several ferns in Tiantong National Forest Park, Zhejiang Province[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University (Science Edition), 2010, 37(2): 214-220. DOI:10.3785/j.issn.1008-9497.2010.02.020.

14. Zhang Shan, Lin Fei, Yuan Zuoqiang, et al. Species abundance distribution pattern and seasonal dynamics in the herbaceous layer of broad-leaved Korean pine forest in Changbai Mountain[J]. Biodiversity Science, 2015, 23(5): 641-648. DOI: 10.17520/biods.2015089.

15. Huang Sheng, Huang Wei, Qin Lei, et al. Study on the fern flora in Enshi, Hubei Province[J]. Acta Botanica Sinica, 2019, 37(1): 28-36. DOI: 10.11913/PSJ.2095-0837.2019.10028.

16. Ji Ye, Chen Shidong, Xiong Decheng, et al. Impact of short-term warming on species diversity of understory vegetation in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests[J]. Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany, 2023, 31(2): 153-162. DOI: 10.11926/jtsb.4575.

17. Yang Xiaoyan, Zhang Shixiong, Wen Jing, et al. Spatial pattern of herbaceous plant species diversity in Lüliangshan forest communities and its response to simulated warming[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2018, 38(18): 6642-6654. DOI:10.5846/stxb201803300700.

18. Shi Fusun, Wu Ning, Luo Peng. Responses of plant community structure and biomass to temperature rise in subalpine meadows in northwestern Sichuan[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2008, 28(11): 5286-5293. DOI: 10.3321/j.issn:1000-0933.2008.11.010.

19.Alward RD, Dealing JK, Milchunas DG. Grassland vegetation changes and nocturnal global wanning. Science, 1999, 283(5399): 229-231

20.Pauli H, Gotffried M, Grabherr G． High summits of the Alps in a changing climate: the oldest observation series on high mountain plant diversity in Europe／／Wahher GR, Burga CA, Edwards PJ, eds. “Fingerprints” of Climate Change． Boston, MA: Springer

21. Su Hongxin, Ma Ping. Forest plant diversity and ecosystem carbon sequestration: mitigation and adaptation to climate change[C]. //Proceedings of the 6th Modern Ecology Lecture and the 2nd International Forum for Young Ecologists. 2011:133-154.