Branch hydro-functional traits of all MyDiv tree species grown in monocultures

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and duration of drought events, threatening the functioning and stability of Central European forests. To investigate how individual tree growth during the 2018–2020 drought depended on species-specific hydro-functional strategies, and whether growth reductions could be buffered by hydro-functional dissimilarity between a focal tree and its neighbors, we established this dataset.

The dataset contains measurements of three groups of hydraulic and structural functional traits: embolism resistance (P50), wood density, and xylem anatomy. Tree branches were sampled from monoculture plots of the MyDiv Experiment in autumn 2021, and in summer 2024 for two ring-porous species. These traits characterize species-specific differences in water transport efficiency, safety, and drought tolerance, providing key information on tree hydraulic functioning.

The data can be used to analyze interspecific variation in drought response, explore trade-offs among hydraulic traits, and assess how functional diversity contributes to the resilience of temperate forest ecosystems under climate stress.