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New forest study: Disturbances in Europe's forests due to drought and heat 2018-2022

Fichtenbestand nach Trockenschaden im Nationalpark Harz, 2022

Spruce stand after drought damage in the Harz National Park, 2022 (Image: Florian Knutzen)

Human-induced climate change is also leading to increasingly frequent periods of drought and heat in Europe, as in the years 2018 to 2022. These affect both human well-being and the functionality of many ecosystems. As the impact and intensity of these extreme events vary greatly depending on the region in Europe, it is important for scientists and decision-makers alike to better understand this spatial variability.

In this GERICS-led study, previously scattered and fragmented data from 16 European countries on drought and heat damage in forests was collated, consolidated and compared with a reference period (2010-2014) for the period 2018-2022. Key parameters included crown thinning, pest incidence, damage caused by forest fires and the general loss of tree cover.

The results show: In the central zone of Europe, drought and heat damage in particular were responsible for a significant loss of vitality in both deciduous and coniferous trees, accompanied by a considerable number of pests. In the forests of the southern zone, which are presumably better adapted to heat and drought, there was also evidence of tree losses. In the northern zone and in the Alpine region, on the other hand, significantly less damage due to drought and heat was observed - presumably due to the better adaptation of the tree species to the site and the altitude.

However, no significant correlation between these climate extremes and an increase in forest fires has been identified across Europe. It is assumed that other effects, such as anthropogenic measures, are superimposed on the climatic effects.

In view of the fact that, according to various projections, the occurrence of so-called ‘consecutive dry years’ will continue to increase in the future, it is essential to continue to systematically analyse the disturbances in forest ecosystems and to develop suitable adaptation measures.

Further results and the entire study can be found under this link

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Dr. Florian Knutzen

Phone: +49 (0) 40 226 338 451

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