<
https://theconversation.com/we-need-urban-trees-more-than-ever-heres-how-to-save-them-from-extreme-heat-211414>
"Australians are bracing for a hot spring and summer. The Bureau of Meteorology
has finally declared El Niño is underway, making warmer and drier conditions
more likely for large parts of the country. And we’ve just watched the Northern
Hemisphere swelter through their summer, making July 2023 Earth’s hottest month
on record.
We studied the effects of extreme heat on urban trees in Western Sydney during
Australia’s record-breaking summer of 2019–20. So we hold grave concerns for
the survival of both native Australian and exotic species in our urban forest.
These stands of trees and shrubs – along streets and in parks, gardens, and
yards – play vital roles in our cities. Trees improve people’s mental health
and wellbeing, lower energy use, and reduce temperatures through shading and
evaporative cooling.
In previous research, we compared the heat tolerance of different species. Our
new research, published in the journal
Global Change Biology, assessed their
water use. Most of the trees we measured lost more water on hot days than
models predicted.
Much like sweating in humans, trees lose water to keep cool. If there’s not
enough water, dieback or tree death occurs. This means access to water will be
crucial for the survival of our urban forests during the hot summer ahead."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
