title: Forests and Their Canopies: Achievements and Horizons in Canopy Science.
abstract: Forest canopies are dynamic interfaces between organisms and atmosphere, providing buffered microclimates and complex microhabitats. Canopies form vertically stratified ecosystems interconnected with other strata. Some forest biodiversity patterns and food webs have been documented and measurements of ecophysiology and biogeochemical cycling have allowed analyses of large-scale transfer of CO2, water, and trace gases between forests and the atmosphere. However, many knowledge gaps remain. With global research networks and databases, and new technologies and infrastructure, we envisage rapid advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that drive the spatial and temporal dynamics of forests and their canopies. Such understanding is vital for the successful management and conservation of global forests and the ecosystem services they provide to the world.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
authors.forename: Roger L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kitching
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Creedy
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice 370 05, Czech Republic; Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Tom M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fayle
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freiberg
authors.affiliation: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.affiliation: Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itioka
authors.affiliation: University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Lian Pin
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
authors.forename: Keping
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
authors.forename: Yadvinder
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Malhi
authors.affiliation: Global Canopy Programme, Oxford OX1 3HZ, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice 370 05, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vojtech
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novotny
authors.affiliation: University of Roehampton, London SW15 5PJ, UK.
authors.forename: Claire M P
authors.initials: CMP
authors.lastname: Ozanne
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK. Electronic address: l.ashton@nhm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Louise A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ashton
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D065928:Forests; D014197:Trees
keywords: biodiversity; biogeochemical cycle; canopy; cranes; food webs; remote sensing