Tree Physiological Responses to Stress

Forest health and productivity are threatened by an inadequate understanding of key physiological responses of trees to environmental stress.

In response to environmental stress, healthy trees adjust their metabolic pathways to produce an array of biochemical compounds to favor survival and continued growth. Because forests are exposed to increased sources and levels of stress, the ability of trees to adequately respond and compensate for stress is increasingly important. Critical classes of compounds associated with the response of trees to stress include nitrogen-containing metabolites (polyamines, amino acids, proteins, chlorophyll), antioxidants, organic acids, phytochelatins, and anthocyanins. Most of these metabolites are sensitive to changes in the soil chemical environment.

Selected Research Summaries

• Acid Rain and Calcium Depletion
• Climate Change and Yellow-Cedar Decline
• Red Leaf Color as an Indicator of Environmental Stress
• Tree Recovery from Ice-storm Injury
• Tree Biology and Tree Care
• The Adaptive Tradeoffs between Boreal and Temperate Conifers in a Warming World
• Linking Wood Stake Decomposition in the Forest Floor and Mineral Soil with Soil Productivity in the Northern Research Station

For further details log on website :
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/units/foresthealth/focus/stress_responses/