Modeling Potential Changes of Forest Area in Thailand under Climate Change

Abstract

The forest cover of Thailand has been characterized according to the Holdridge Life Zone Classification, a model that correlates climatic features with vegetation distribution. Six Holdridge life zone types of forest cover are found in Thailand: subtropical dry forest, subtropical moist forest, subtropical wet forest, tropical dry forest, tropical moist forest, and tropical wet forest. Climate change scenarios were simulated by three general circulation models: two United Kingdom Meteorological Office models (the low and high resolution versions) and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies model. These scenarios were used to simulate the effects of future climate change on Thai forests. The ratios of precipitation and the absolute values of temperature changes were incorporated into a baseline climate scenario from the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis. Under the climate change scenarios simulated by the three general circulation models, the subtropical dry forest could potentially disappear, and areas of tropical very dry forest would appear. In general, the area of subtropical life zone would decline from about 50% to 20%–12% of total cover, whereas the tropical life zone would expand its cover from 45% to 80%. All three general circulation model scenarios suggest that the tropical dry forest has the greatest potential to extend into the subtropical moist forest. This analysis suggests that global climate change would have a profound effect on the future distribution and health of Thai forests.