A study examining thousands of acres of U.S. woodlands found that increased tree species diversity enhances a forest’s ability to withstand compound climate extremes. These extremes, resulting from global warming, can include simultaneous events such as extreme heat and drought, or high rainfall.
Previous research had indicated that tree species diversity generally strengthens forests, but much of this work was conducted on smaller scales or in experimental plots. The new findings confirm this positive effect in large, complex natural forest systems. Researchers noted that much of the existing research focused on how forests cope with single extreme weather events, rather than multiple simultaneous occurrences.
Source: Mongabay