Forest Sensitivity to the Cumulative Effects of Repeated Drought and Other Stresses

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is inducing increasingly severe and frequent drought events. Often, these droughts are accompanied by higher temperatures in the form of heat waves, and also by an increased proliferation of biotic stresses in the form of diseases, as inset vectors are influenced by climate and human activities. Over time, repeated stress events may have one of two outcomes: adaptation and the development of acquired resilience, or the progressive degradation of plant performance and a decline in plant health. This is particularly evident in long-lived tree species, where the confluence of an increased frequency of drought events with other abiotic/biotic stresses is having profound effects on the viability of natural forests, managed forestry plantation, and urban trees. This Special Issue focuses on the monitoring, physiological, genetic, and biomolecular analysis of repeated multiple stresses on trees. Particular attention is paid to the interaction of drought, elevated [CO2], atmospheric pollutants such as ozone, and diseases such as Xylella fastidiosa. Remote sensing and physiological approaches to quantify the impact, and resilience to, repeated and intersecting stresses will assist in our understanding and mitigation of the impact on natural, semi-natural, and urban forests.

Dr. Dilek Killi
Dr. Domingo Sancho-Knapik
Guest Editors

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