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Chapter 7 Tree Physiology and Intraspecific Responses to Extreme Events: Insights from the Most Extreme Heat Year in U.S. History

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Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Climate Change

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 48))

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Abstract

Extreme weather events, including heat waves and droughts, are increasing as a result of climate change, and these events are occurring within the context of gradual increases in global mean temperatures over decadal to century timescales. Trees are especially vulnerable to extreme events and their physiological responses to these conditions may dictate their ability to survive and persist under future climate change. Recent studies indicate that extreme weather events can directly or indirectly weaken trees to the point of mortality, and when compounded over space and time, this has the potential to alter ecosystem functioning and the global carbon cycle more broadly. Furthermore, extreme events can potentially impact the evolutionary trajectory of trees, with rapid selection favoring a subset of survivors with altered physiologies, assuming genetic variation is sufficient to allow for survival in the first place. Unfortunately, the impacts of extreme years on the physiological functioning of trees at the intraspecific level are not well understood, hindering our ability to predict long-term consequences of extreme events on the survival and evolutionary trajectories of tree species.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Science & Democracy, Union of Concerned Scientists, Washington, DC, USA

    Jacob M. Carter

  2. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    Jacob M. Carter

  3. Organismal Biology, Ecology, & Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA

    Timothy E. Burnette

  4. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    Timothy E. Burnette

  5. College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Joy K. Ward

  6. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    Joy K. Ward

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  1. Jacob M. Carter
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  2. Timothy E. Burnette
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Correspondence to Joy K. Ward .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Katie M. Becklin

  2. College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Joy K. Ward

  3. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Danielle A. Way

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Carter, J.M., Burnette, T.E., Ward, J.K. (2021). Chapter 7 Tree Physiology and Intraspecific Responses to Extreme Events: Insights from the Most Extreme Heat Year in U.S. History. In: Becklin, K.M., Ward, J.K., Way, D.A. (eds) Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Climate Change . Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 48. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64926-5_7

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