Publications by authors named "Chemuku Wekesa"
Vegetation regulates microclimate stability through biophysical mechanisms such as evaporation, transpiration and shading. Therefore, thermal conditions in tree-dominated habitats will frequently differ significantly from standardized free-air temperature measurements. The ability of forests to buffer temperatures nominates them as potential sanctuaries for tree species intolerant to the increasingly challenging thermal conditions established by climate change.
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- The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) reflects a global trend showing that species richness typically increases towards the tropics, but understanding its causes has been challenging due to insufficient data.
- A new high-resolution map of local tree species richness was created using extensive global forest inventory data and local biophysical factors, analyzing around 1.3 million sample plots.
- Findings indicate that annual mean temperature is a significant predictor of tree species richness, aligning with the metabolic theory of biodiversity, but additional local factors also play a crucial role, especially in tropical regions.