Episode 144: Drought-Induced Tree Die-Offs and Climate Change
University of Arizona researcher David Breshears has been investigating the frequency of large-scale tree die-offs. He says when forests fall victim to drought, they take longer to recover. When trees take longer to recover, they are slower to perform their function of storing carbon, inhibiting the fight against climate change. Hotter conditions induce more drought, causing new tree die-offs and the cycle begins again.