Data on multi-year drought impacts on European beech in northern Switzerland

This study investigated multi-year drought impacts on beech forests through a unique large-scale monitoring of 963 individual beech trees, which showed either premature leaf discoloration during the drought in summer 2018 or no visible damage. We conducted the study in two highly drought-affected regions in northern Switzerland and one less drought-affected region located further south. We quantified the development of crown dieback and tree mortality as well as secondary drought damage, i.e. the presence of bleeding cankers and bark beetle infestations, in these trees for three consecutive years. We also determined the impact of several potential climate- and stand-related (predisposing) factors on mortality and drought legacy processes.本研究通过针对963株欧洲山毛榉的独特大规模监测，探究了多年干旱对山毛榉林的影响。这些供试树木在2018年夏季干旱期间表现出两种表型：其一为叶片过早变色，其二则无可见损伤。本研究选取瑞士北部两处受干旱影响严重的区域，以及瑞士南部一处受干旱影响较轻的区域作为样地。研究团队连续三年对这些树木的冠层枯梢发展动态、树木死亡率，以及次生干旱损伤（即流胶溃疡病与树皮甲虫侵染情况）进行了量化分析。此外，本研究还解析了多项潜在气候与林分相关易感因子对树木死亡率及干旱遗留效应过程的影响。