Study reveals urban trees suffer more from heat waves and drought than their rural counterparts

A recently published study in Ecological Applications details how trees in New York City and Boston are more negatively impacted by heat waves and drought than trees of the same species in nearby rural forests. The finding, made by researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC), highlights the challenges urban trees face in the context of climate change and underscores the importance of tailored urban forestry management as a tool for protecting tree species and reducing urban heat islands.

For their study, researchers used tree cores from urban and rural forests to reconstruct historical growth rates and then compared these with climate data. The aim was to determine if urban trees are more adversely affected by climate stress than their rural counterparts. The study found that urban trees suffer more during periods of heat waves and drought, raising concerns about their long-term health and ability to provide crucial ecosystem services.

This study received support from The City University of New York (CUNY), the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Services Northern Research Station, Barnard College Summer Research Institute, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates program.

Source: Eurek Alert!