Living Lab raw data

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, exacerbating the urban heat island effect and contributing to vegetation decline. Urban vegetation plays a critical role to improve thermal comfort, yet the physiological responses of common species to heat and drought stress remain poorly understood. · We examined water relations and thermal tolerance of eight widely planted urban tree and shrub species in a common garden in western Sydney, Australia, over two average austral summers (2022-2023, 2023-2024) with periods of mild to moderate water deficits. · Two vulnerable shrub species, Melaleuca thymifolia and Westringia fruticosa, experienced drought stress as evidenced by their low predawn (Ψpre