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Widespread synchronous decline of Mediterranean-type forest driven by accelerated aridity.
- Source :
-
Nature plants [Nat Plants] 2023 Nov; Vol. 9 (11), pp. 1810-1817. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Oct 16. - Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Large-scale, abrupt ecosystem change in direct response to climate extremes is a critical but poorly documented phenomenon <superscript>1</superscript> . Yet, recent increases in climate-induced tree mortality raise concern that some forest ecosystems are on the brink of collapse across wide environmental gradients <superscript>2,3</superscript> . Here we assessed climatic and productivity trends across the world's five Mediterranean forest ecosystems from 2000 to 2021 and detected a large-scale, abrupt forest browning and productivity decline in Chile (>90% of the forest in <100 days), responding to a sustained, acute drought. The extreme dry and warm conditions in Chile, unprecedented in the recent history of all Mediterranean-type ecosystems, are akin to those projected to arise in the second half of the century <superscript>4</superscript> . Long-term recovery of this forest is uncertain given an ongoing decline in regional water balance. This dramatic plummet of forest productivity may be a spyglass to the future for other Mediterranean ecosystems.<br /> (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)
- Subjects :
- Forests
Trees physiology
Droughts
Ecosystem
Climate Change
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2055-0278
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Nature plants
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 37845335
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01541-7