Beech Forests Across Europe Are At Greater Risk From Drought

The beech forests across Western Europe particularly the areas of southern England are at risk from drought, according to researchers.

The study was printed in Global Change Biology. It is part-funded by NERC costing of up to 1.4 million euros. The researchers based their findings on the tree ring data they have examined.

Alistair Jump, the lead author of the study and a professor of plant ecology at the University of Stirling said that beech trees across Europe are extremely vulnerable to the effects of drought. He further explained the long dry spells caused sudden and widespread reduced growth within the species as noted by Science Daily.

Prof. Jump added that they might expect beech forests in hotter regions of Europe. These include the southern France and Spain, which are most at risk. On the other hand, they found that the south of the UK, in which the center of the area where the species grows, is the one that is most badly affected.

my copper beech tree
its leaves too tender, too red
I must look away pic.twitter.com/BWLEoQ0B2N

— Catherine Baker (@CatBake) June 17, 2016

The researchers also found out that the damage imposed on beech trees in the summer of 1967 has influenced forests throughout the UK. Prof. Jump explained that they discovered that the Great Drought in 1976 is continually impacting the forest found in South Wales. He further explained that many beech trees died, while the survivors often experienced reduce growth now 40 years on. They now understand the extremity of the event had a big effect on tree growth right across the UK.

He said that as the climate continues to warm, the droughts will become more recurrent and more dangerous. The beech forest in Europe will be hit greater, with a high risk of prevalent mortality when the next big dry spell hits, particularly in the southern parts of the UK.

The European beech tree or also known as the common beech tree belongs to the beech family Fagaceae. It can reach a height of up to 50 meters (160 ft.) and has a trunk diameter of 3 meters (9.8 feet). It grows in the southern England, southern Sweden to northern Sicily, west of France, east to northwest Turkey, central Spain and northern Portugal.