A first assessment of the impact of the extreme 2018 summer drought on Central European forests

• Published in: Basic and applied ecology Vol. 45; pp. 86 - 103
• Main Authors: Schuldt, Bernhard, Buras, Allan, Arend, Matthias, Vitasse, Yann, Beierkuhnlein, Carl, Damm, Alexander, Gharun, Mana, Grams, Thorsten E.E., Hauck, Markus, Hajek, Peter, Hartmann, Henrik, Hiltbrunner, Erika, Hoch, Günter, Holloway-Phillips, Meisha, Körner, Christian, Larysch, Elena, Lübbe, Torben, Nelson, Daniel B., Rammig, Anja, Rigling, Andreas, Rose, Laura, Ruehr, Nadine K., Schumann, Katja, Weiser, Frank, Werner, Christiane, Wohlgemuth, Thomas, Zang, Christian S., Kahmen, Ansgar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01.06.2020
• Subjects: air temperature; Austria; Central European region; Climate change; drought; Drought stress; environmental impact; forest ecosystems; forest trees; Germany; growing season; heat; Hotter drought; Hydraulic failure; Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; plant stress; plant-water relations; Recovery; remote sensing; signs and symptoms (plants); summer; Switzerland; Temperate forests; Tree mortality; Vapour pressure deficit; Water potential; water stress; xylem; Austria; Central European region; Switzerland; Germany; Hotter drought; Climate change; Hydraulic failure; Drought stress; Tree mortality; Temperate forests; Vapour pressure deficit; Water potential; Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; Recovery

In 2018, Central Europe experienced one of the most severe and long-lasting summer drought and heat wave ever recorded. Before 2018, the 2003 millennial drought was often invoked as the example of a “hotter drought”, and was classified as the most severe event in Europe for the last 500 years. First...