Just like a sunrise, the emergence of leaves in spring is one of nature’s poetic, awe-inspiring moments. It reminds us of the phases of nature, inexorable and punctual. However, that punctuality is being influenced by climate change, which is causing plants to come into leaf earlier and earlier each year. That, in turn, has consequences for trees, as well as global effects on the carbon cycle and climate change itself.
All living organisms need water, and plants are no exception. While many animals can move around to find it, most plants are rooted to the spot and have therefore had to develop astonishing ways of obtaining and storing it.
Due to climate change, every year we record higher temperatures and precipitation is becoming scarce. This change in climate paradigm, added to a cluster of disturbances such as forest fires and pests, tests the resilience of forests around the world and especially those in Mediterranean climate zones that have suffered an increase in the conditions of aridity The ability of species to adapt to these conditions will define the forests of the future. But are Mediterranean forests resilient enough?
