Study Reveals Urban Trees Suffer More From Heat Waves and Drought Than Their Rural Counterparts
by City University of New York
August 7, 2024
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 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.
The research is particularly timely, given the record-breaking increase in global mean temperatures and the ongoing hottest summer on record. As cities continue to grapple with the impacts of climate change, this study provides critical insights into how urban trees’ health and the ecosystem services they offer might be jeopardized.
Read the Ecological Applications paper: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.2970