CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON FORESTS : A PLANT HYDRAULIC PERSPECTIVE OF ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

Forests are at the cross road of multiple socio-ecological stakes including energy and material autonomy, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation whilst at the same time they are deeply impaired by climate change. In particular, increasing atmospheric and soil drought are responsible for an increasing trend in tree mortality, forest disturbances (diebacks, pathogen attacks and wildfires). The field of plant hydraulic offers a conceptual and formal basis to quantify climate impacts on trees physiology, derive consequences on forest disturbances and assess possible solutions for adaptation. In this talk, I will present how plant hydraulic measurements can be combined with the recent plant hydraulic model SurEau, to help anticipate global changes outcome on forests and evaluate solutions for forest adaptation.