No imminent drought risk for naturally occurring walnut forests in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan features the largest naturally occurring walnut forests in the world. Their global importance made that these forests have been recognized as UNESCO Natural World Heritage. Climate change, however, poses these forests at risk, in particular since warming in the region is projected well above the global average. PhD student Aziz Tyrgotov and co-workers investigated the climate sensitivity and growth responses of walnut to extremes along its full elevational gradient in Kyrgyzstan. Results have now been published in  Dendrochronologia. Overall, the growth of walnut was found to be affected by climate change already today, though imminent risks of drought-induced vitality loss still seem low. With ongoing climate change, this, however, may rapidly change.