Strategic plant choices can alleviate climate change impacts: a review

Authors: Espeland, Erin; KETTENRING, K - Utah State University

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2018
Publication Date: 9/15/2018
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5973542
Citation: Espeland, E.K., Kettenring, K. 2018. Strategic plant choices can alleviate climate change impacts: a review. Journal of Environmental Management. 222:316-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.05.042.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.05.042

Interpretive Summary: We describe how plants can modify localized climate change effects such as heat waves, wildfire, drought, and sea level rise by altering biological and physical processes such as providing shade, altering fuel availability, increasing water infiltration, and providing salt marsh habitat. Plant can also reduce the impact of extreme weather events such as flooding and storm surges. Given the global scale of planting activities such as landscaping, farming, forestry, conservation, and restoration, we can select plants strategically—i.e., planting and maintaining species with desired benefits—to alleviate local effects of climate change. Plants are a tool for reducing the negative effects of climate change on local economies that should be more broadly and strategically utilized.

Technical Abstract: Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) uses biodiversity and ecosystem services to reduce climate change impacts to local societies. Because plants can alleviate the abiotic and biotic stresses of climate change, purposeful plant choices could improve adaptation. However, there has been no systematic review of how plants can be applied to alleviate local effects of climate change across the range of outcomes. Here we describe how plants can modify climate change effects by altering biological and physical processes. Plant effects range from increasing soil stabilization to reducing the impact of flooding and storm surges. Given the global scale of plant-related activities such as farming, forestry, conservation, and restoration, plants can be selected strategically—i.e., planting and maintaining particular species with desired impacts—to simultaneously restore degraded ecosystems, conserve ecosystem function, and help alleviate local effects of climate change. Plants are a tool for EbA that should be more broadly and strategically utilized.