Tree sapling vitality and recovery following the unprecedented 2018 drought in central Europe

Mirela Beloiu Schwenke; Valeska Schönlau; Carl Beierkuhnlein

doi:10.1016/j.fecs.2023.100140

Forest Ecosystems 2023, 10(5): 100140 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2023.100140

Research Article |

Open Access | Issue | Published: 28 September 2023

Tree sapling vitality and recovery following the unprecedented 2018 drought in central Europe

Show Author's Information Hide Author's Information Mirela Beloiu Schwenke^{^a^,¹}(

), Valeska Schönlau^{^b^,¹}(

), Carl Beierkuhnlein^{^b^,^c^,^d}

Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany

GIB Geographical Institute Bayreuth, University of Bayreuth, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany

BayCEER Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, 95448, Bayreuth, Germany

¹ Considered dual first authors.

Keywords:

Climate change, Drought stress, Temperate forest, Deciduous trees, Extreme events, Soil depth

Cite this article:

Beloiu Schwenke M, Schönlau V, Beierkuhnlein C. Tree sapling vitality and recovery following the unprecedented 2018 drought in central Europe. Forest Ecosystems, 2023, 10(5): 100140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2023.100140

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Abstract Full text About this article

Abstract

Background

Ongoing climate change is anticipated to increase the frequency and intensity of drought events, thereby affecting forest recovery dynamics and elevating tree mortality. The drought of 2018, with its exceptional intensity and duration, had a significant adverse impact on tree species throughout Central Europe. However, our understanding of the resistance to and recovery of young trees from drought stress remains limited. Here, we examined the recovery patterns of native deciduous tree sapling species following the 2018 drought, and explored the impact of soil depth, understory vegetation, and litter cover on this recovery.

Methods

A total of 1,149 saplings of seven deciduous tree species were monitored in the understory of old-growth forests in Northern Bavaria, Central Germany. The vitality of the saplings was recorded from 2018 to 2021 on 170 plots.

Results

Fagus sylvatica was the most drought-resistant species, followed by Betula pendula, Acer pseudoplatanus, Quercus spp., Corylus avellana, Carpinus betulus, and Sorbus aucuparia. Although the drought conditions persisted one year later, all species recovered significantly from the 2018 drought, albeit with a slight decrease in vitality by 2021. In 2018, the drought exhibited a more pronounced adverse effect on saplings in deciduous forests compared to mixed and coniferous forests. Conversely, sapling recovery in coniferous and mixed forests exceeded that observed in deciduous forests in 2019. The pivotal factors influencing sapling resilience to drought were forest types, soil depth, and understory vegetation, whereas litter and forest canopy cover had a negative impact.

Conclusion

Long-term responses of tree species to drought can be best discerned through continuous health monitoring. These findings demonstrate the natural regeneration potential of deciduous species in the context of climate change. Selective tree species planting, soil management practices, and promoting understory diversity should be considered when implementing adaptive management strategies to enhance forest resilience to drought events.

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About this article

Tree sapling vitality and recovery following the unprecedented 2018 drought in central Europe

Show Author's information Hide Author's Information Mirela Beloiu Schwenke^{^a^,¹}(

), Valeska Schönlau^{^b^,¹}(

), Carl Beierkuhnlein^{^b^,^c^,^d}

Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany

GIB Geographical Institute Bayreuth, University of Bayreuth, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany

BayCEER Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, 95448, Bayreuth, Germany

¹ Considered dual first authors.

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keywords: Climate change, Drought stress, Temperate forest, Deciduous trees, Extreme events, Soil depth

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Publication history

Received: 23 April 2023

Revised: 31 July 2023

Accepted: 11 September 2023

Published: 28 September 2023

Issue date: October 2023

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Reinhold Stahlmann and Sophy Kley for their support during the field measurements.

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This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).