Modeling and projecting Soil and Atmospheric Drought impacts on growth dynamics of common European TREE species

The role of European forests in providing ecosystem services is threatened by recent and projected increases in climate extremes, particularly droughts. Despite considerable efforts to better understand the growth responses of European tree species to climate variability, a solid and applicable mechanistic representation of tree growth dynamics under drought at intra- and inter-annual resolution is still missing We seek to generate robust projections of growth responses of major European tree species (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Fagus sylvatica & Quercus sp.) to water limitation through 2099 with unprecedented accuracy based on a simplified and generalized semi-mechanistic growth model. 

Our results will significantly improve accuracy in assessing forest growth in response to current and projected climate variability and extremes, and provide realistic model output needed for better-informed forest policy and management.