The critical amplifying role of increasing atmospheric moisture demand on tree mortality and associated regional die-off

David D Breshears,A Park Williams,Henry D Adams,Nate G Mcdowell,Derek Eamus,Chris B Zou,Rodney E Will,Darin J Law

doi:10.3389/fpls.2013.00266

Abstract

OPINION article Front. Plant Sci., 02 August 2013Sec. Functional Plant Ecology Volume 4 - 2013 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00266

Highlights

Drought-induced tree mortality, including large-scale die-off events and increases in background rates of mortality, is a global phenomenon (Allen et al, 2010) that can directly impact numerous earth system properties and ecosystem goods and services (Adams et al, 2010; Breshears et al, 2011; Anderegg et al, 2013)
Much research discussion has stemmed from speculation that warmer temperatures and implicit increases in VPD exacerbated a recent widespread dieoff event of one tree species, Pinus edulis, in the southwestern USA (Breshears et al, 2005)
VPD is the difference between the saturation vapour pressure and actual vapour pressure

Summary

Introduction

Drought-induced tree mortality, including large-scale die-off events and increases in background rates of mortality, is a global phenomenon (Allen et al, 2010) that can directly impact numerous earth system properties and ecosystem goods and services (Adams et al, 2010; Breshears et al, 2011; Anderegg et al, 2013). From a variety of approaches, these studies collectively concluded that rising temperature and associated VPD drive accelerating rates of mortality during drought.

Results

Conclusion