Figure 20.8

U.S. Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry
William A. Gould, Grizelle Gonzalez

This figure appears in chapter 20 of the Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: The Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II report.

Tropical montane cloud forests in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico are characterized by the frequent presence of clouds, reduced tree height, a high number of endemic and endangered species, and high water content of the soil due to reduced sunlight. Cloud forests around the world are vulnerable due to the warming and drying conditions that are expected with climate change.a7c55896-56c4-4d2f-80f3-37a0eec9709c Cloud forests on low mountains are especially vulnerable, as drying and warming conditions can increase the elevation at which clouds form, thereby reducing or possibly eliminating the cloud cover shrouding the mountain peaks.2c61f40b-2033-43af-8b45-b0635840d008^,77872e95-b71c-4c52-bb70-301748abfb13^,0267391d-4675-4cc3-a8cb-805c5d49cf6e Photo credit: Grizelle González, USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry.

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This figure was created on April 03, 2018.

This figure was submitted on December 06, 2018.

References :

• Dry season clouds and rainfall in northern Central America: Implications for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (0267391d)
• The potential negative impacts of global climate change on tropical montane cloud forests (2c61f40b)
• Climatic impact of tropical lowland deforestation on nearby montane cloud forests (77872e95)
• Geographic, environmental and biotic sources of variation in the nutrient relations of tropical montane forests (a7c55896)

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