Advances in Tree Ecophysiology under Drought Stress

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 1221

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada 22860, Baja California, Mexico
Interests: plant ecology and ecophysiology; sustainability

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, SRM University—AP, Neerukonda, Mangalagiri Mandal, Guntur District, Amaravati 522240, India
Interests: forest carbon dynamics; monitoring forest structure and adaptations; plant invasions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest ecosystems are critical components of the Earth's planetary system. Current climatic changes are threatening the long-term viability of these ecosystems, with dramatic consequences on the functionality of the biosphere. Locally and regionally, increases in the frequency and intensity of drought induce tree decay and mortality, a direct consequence of alterations in tree ecophysiology.

Given widespread forest mortality worldwide due to climate change-induced drought and the wide-ranging implications of forest decay and losses for societal welfare, it is critical to enhance our knowledge of the ecophysiological patterns and processes involved in tree tolerance to drought. Progress in tree physiology and ecology regarding drought may provide insights into forest management in the 21st century.

This Special Issue aims to present recent research on the effects of drought on forest ecosystems and practical management experiences suitable to be replicated worldwide. We invite researchers from developing countries, which harbor most of the world's plant diversity, to present their work, with the goal of achieving global representation.

Submitted manuscripts must be original contributions. Papers published or submitted for publication in conference proceedings may be considered, provided they are extended and improved. We invite underrepresented groups of authors to submit manuscripts, including Indigenous People and authors from LDCs.

Dr. Rodrigo Méndez-Alonzo
Dr. Javid Ahmad Dar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tree ecophysiology
  • drought tolerance
  • climate change
  • forest ecosystems
  • plant–water relationships
  • vulnerability to cavitation

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 2002 KiB  
Article
Nutrient and Growth Response of Fagus sylvatica L. Saplings to Drought Is Modified by Fertilisation
by Mia Marušić, Ivan Seletković, Mladen Ognjenović, Mathieu Jonard, Krunoslav Sever, Marcus Schaub, Arthur Gessler, Mario Šango, Ivana Sirovica, Ivana Zegnal, Robert Bogdanić and Nenad Potočić
Forests 2023, 14(12), 2445; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122445 - 14 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1003
Abstract
The increased frequency of climate change-induced droughts poses a survival challenge for forest trees, particularly for the common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Drought conditions adversely affect water supply and nutrient uptake, yet there is limited understanding of the intricate interplay between nutrient [...] Read more.
The increased frequency of climate change-induced droughts poses a survival challenge for forest trees, particularly for the common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Drought conditions adversely affect water supply and nutrient uptake, yet there is limited understanding of the intricate interplay between nutrient availability and drought stress on the physiology, growth, and biomass accumulation in young trees. We aimed to address this knowledge gap by examining the effects of irrigation and fertilisation and their interaction with various parameters in common beech saplings, including foliar and root N, P, and K concentrations; height and diameter increments; and aboveground and belowground biomass production. Our findings revealed that a higher fertilisation dose increased nutrient availability, also partially mitigating immediate drought impacts on foliar N concentrations. Also, higher fertilisation supported the post-drought recovery of foliar phosphorus levels in saplings. Prolonged drought affected nitrogen and potassium foliar concentrations, illustrating the lasting physiological impact of drought on beech trees. While drought-stressed beech saplings exhibited reduced height increment and biomass production, increased nutrient availability positively impacted root collar diameters. These insights have potential implications for forest management practices, afforestation strategies, and our broader understanding of the ecological consequences of climate change on forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tree Ecophysiology under Drought Stress)
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