Extreme heat and the limits of tree and forest resilience

Authors

• Michael Paul Nelson, Michigan Technological University
• Christopher J. Still, Oregon State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Abstract

The 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome shows how acute thermal stress challenges prevailing assumptions about ecological resilience and adaptation. Extreme heat events are revealing physiological limits in forests that are not captured by conventional climate risk frameworks.

Publication Title

Nature Climate Change

Recommended Citation

Nelson, M., & Still, C. (2026). Extreme heat and the limits of tree and forest resilience. Nature Climate Change. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02679-w
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p2/2765