GoKawiilUC Davis study finds coast redwoods reduce photosynthesis during extreme heat
Researchers at the University of California, Davis measured coast redwood leaves twice monthly over two years and found that photosynthesis activity drops sharply during periods of extreme heat. The trees appear unable to cool themselves fast enough in high temperatures, effectively slowing their internal processes of gas exchange and growth.
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Redwood canopies host unique ecosystems, including species like the wandering salamander and marbled murrelet that depend on stable, cool microhabitats hundreds of feet up. If rising global temperatures continue to stress the trees' ability to photosynthesize, researchers suggest this could threaten both the long-term health of individual redwoods and the diverse life forms sheltered within their canopies, as well as California's tourism economy tied to these forests.
- UC Davis researchers tracked redwood leaf photosynthesis over two years using biweekly measurements.
- Extreme heat causes coast redwoods to reduce photosynthetic activity, a sign they struggle to cool themselves.
- The finding raises concerns about climate change's long-term impact on redwood forests and the species that depend on them.
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Published there as: “California’s Tallest and Most Iconic Trees Are Getting Heatstroke”
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