Climate-change-driven growth decline of European beech forests

Abstract The growth of past, present, and future forests was, is and will be affected by climate variability. This multifaceted relationship has been assessed in several regional studies, but spatially resolved, large-scale analyses are largely missing so far. Here we estimate recent changes in growth of 5800 beech trees ( Fagus sylvatica L.) from 324 sites, representing the full geographic and climatic range of species. Future growth trends were predicted considering state-of-the-art climate scenarios. The validated models indicate growth declines across large region of the distribution in recent decades, and project severe future growth declines ranging from −20% to more than −50% by 2090, depending on the…

• AV
  Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Awards: NE/S010041/1, NE/G002118/1, NE/V00929X/1
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Award: HA 8048/1-1
• JA
  Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS

  Awards: P4-0015, and P4-, P4-0107, J4-2541
• UE
  Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: NE/G002118/1, NE/S010041/1, NE/V00929X/1
• ER
  European Regional Development Fund

  Awards: 02.1.01/0.0/0.0, CZ.02, CZ.02.1.01, CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000797, CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0, CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/, /16_019, P4-0015