Droughts preceding tree mortality events have increased in duration and intensity, especially in dry biomes

Antonio Gazol (), Manuel Pizarro, William M. Hammond, Craig D. Allen and J. Julio Camarero
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Antonio Gazol: Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)
Manuel Pizarro: Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)
William M. Hammond: University of Florida
Craig D. Allen: University of New Mexico
J. Julio Camarero: Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The thresholds of drought duration and intensity required to provoke pulses of tree mortality across Earth’s biomes remain unclear. Using globally-extensive updated databases of drought-associated tree mortality, we report substantial diversity in the types of drought events that cause tree death in different forest types. Tree-killing droughts are longer, more intense and have higher completeness (proportion of extreme drought within long-lasting droughts) in dry versus wet biomes. Mortality-inducing droughts are more intense and show higher completeness in angiosperm-dominated forests. We find a marked tendency towards long-lasting and more severe and complete droughts in recent years, particularly in more arid sites. Warming-amplified aridity is a main factor underpinning these variations. Differences in “sampling effort” across regions make it challenging to characterize the high variability in drought-induced tree mortality events. In this work we demonstrate the need to create, continuously update, and refine more extensive field-based tree mortality monitoring programs globally.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60856-5

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