Forest canopy structure response to climate change from a global perspective

Forest canopy structure response to climate change from a global perspective | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Forest canopy structure response to climate change from a global perspective Xuegang Mao, Hongpeng Liu, Chengyuan Wang Wang, Zhiyang Zhang, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5598668/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The structure of the forest canopy plays a pivotal role in determining the response of forest ecosystems to climate change. However, the large-scale impact of climate change on canopy structure remains inadequately understood, particularly at the global level. This knowledge gap can be attributed mainly to the lack of reliable methods for consistently monitoring changes in canopy structure over extended periods. To address this challenge, we developed a global Forest Canopy Structure Index (FCSI) by synthesizing four remotely sensed vegetation indices, thus enabling the mapping of spatial and temporal dynamics of canopy structures across the globe. Furthermore, we investigated how the canopy structures of six distinct forest types respond to ten key climate variables. Our results reveal substantial latitudinal variation in FCSI: in the Northern Hemisphere, FCSI decreases by approximately 0.002 for every 1° increase in latitude, while in the Southern Hemisphere, the decline is more pronounced, approaching 0.004. The only forest types exhibiting an overall increase in FCSI from 2005 to 2021 are Deciduous Broadleaf Forests, Deciduous Needleleaf Forests, and Woody Savannas, yet only 27.91% of global forests show a significant rise in FCSI. Precipitation emerged as the most influential factor driving changes in FCSI, while diurnal temperature range exerted a robust positive effect on canopy structure across all six forest types. This study introduces novel methodologies for large-scale quantification of forest canopy structure and provides valuable insights into how forest ecosystems respond to and adapt to climate change. Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Forest ecology Scientific community and society/Forestry Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files ReportingSummary.pdf Reporting Summary SI.docx Supplementary Information Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5598668","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":393020529,"identity":"9ceff429-354f-4ee9-bc1a-13bb1fd24d8d","order_by":0,"name":"Xuegang 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