Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Tree mortality: Large trees losing out to drought

An Erratum to this article was published on 09 October 2015

Large trees deliver many benefits to forest ecosystems, including the provision of habitats for other species and the storage of carbon. A synthesis of tree growth and mortality data from around the globe now suggests that under drought large trees are dying in higher numbers than smaller trees.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Bennett, A. C., McDowell, N. G., Allen, C. D. & Anderson-Teixeira, K. J. Nature Plants 1, 15139 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. IPCC Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis (eds Stocker, T. F. et al.) (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2013).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Settele, J. et al. in Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (eds Stocker, T. F. et al.) Ch. 4 (IPCC, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014).

    Google Scholar 

  4. George, S. S. Quat Sci. Rev. 95, 132–150 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Le Quere, C. et al. Nature Geosci 2, 831–836 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Canadell, J. G. et al. in Terrestrial Ecosystems in a Changing World (eds Canadell, J. G., Pataki, D. E. & Pitelka, L. F. ) 59–78 (Springer, 2007).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Christina, M. et al. Ecosphere 2, art27 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Meinzer, F. C., Lachenbruch, B. & Dawson, T. E. (eds) Size- and Age-related Changes in Tree Structure and Function (Springer, 2011).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Ryan, M. G., Phillips, N. & Bond, B. J. Plant Cell Environ. 29, 367–381 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. McDowell, N. G. & Allen, C. D. Nature Clim. Change 5, 669–672 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael G. Ryan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ryan, M. Tree mortality: Large trees losing out to drought. Nature Plants 1, 15150 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2015.150

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2015.150

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing Anthropocene

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Anthropocene newsletter — what matters in anthropocene research, free to your inbox weekly.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Anthropocene