Nature Communications (Jan 2021)

Over half of western United States' most abundant tree species in decline

  • Hunter Stanke,
  • Andrew O. Finley,
  • Grant M. Domke,
  • Aaron S. Weed,
  • David W. MacFarlane

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20678-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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The nature of forest disturbances are changing, yet consequences for forest dynamics remain uncertain. Using a new index, Stanke et al. show the populations of over half of the most abundant tree species in the western US have declined in the last two decades, with grim implications for how temperate forests globally will respond to sustained anthropogenic and natural stress.