Heat Impacts on Tree Mortality

This lecture explores the impact of heat and vapor pressure deficit on tree mortality, focusing on the mechanisms involved in forest responses to climate change. It discusses the relationship between high temperatures, embolism, and water transport impairment, leading to desiccation. The speaker presents findings from various experiments, such as the Pfynwald irrigation experiment in Switzerland, to illustrate how heat can trigger tree mortality independently of soil drought. Additionally, the lecture delves into the feedback loop between heat stress and carbon uptake capacity, highlighting the role of canopy temperature in tree survival strategies.