Forest ecosystems are central to Earth's carbon balance and biodiversity stability, yet they are increasingly threatened by extreme climate events (ECEs) such as droughts, heatwaves, floods, and frosts. The changing frequency and intensity of these events, driven by anthropogenic climate change, are imposing acute physiological stress on trees, resulting in suppressed growth, increased mortality, and shifts in forest composition. While gradual climate impacts have been intensely studied, the processes by which short-term, discrete climate extremes affect forest structure and function remain underexplored. Key knowledge gaps persist regarding the immediate disruption to tree physiology, the lagged effects on forest dynamics, and the variability in ecosystem responses linked to diverse forest types and climatic contexts.

This Research Topic aims to clarify the causal mechanisms, immediate responses, and legacy effects of ECEs on forest growth, demography, and ecosystem functioning. We seek to answer critical questions regarding patterns of growth decline and recovery, the physiological and ecological pathways leading to tree mortality, and the influence of species traits, community structure, and environmental moderators on forest vulnerability. By integrating advances in dendrochronology, remote sensing, and modeling, this initiative aims to establish a mechanistic understanding that can inform risk assessment and adaptive forest management under increasing climatic extremes.

The scope of this Research Topic is focused on quantifying and explaining forest responses specifically to discrete extreme climate events. To advance this agenda, we welcome submissions on themes including, but not limited to:

√ Growth resilience and recovery trajectories in response to ECEs

√ Physiological mechanisms (e.g., hydraulic failure, carbon starvation) leading to tree mortality

√ Influence of species functional traits and biodiversity on ecosystem vulnerability and adaptation

√ Legacy effects of ECEs on forest regeneration, structural dynamics, and nutrient cycling

√ Methodological innovations in monitoring, modeling, and predicting ECE impacts at various scales

We encourage the submission of Original Research, Reviews, Methods, and Perspectives articles. All manuscripts will undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high quality and relevance to the Topic.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Unraveling the effects of extreme climate events on forest dynamics: Patterns, processes, and mechanisms