European beech reproduction is not reduced by drought, including the 2003, 2018, and 2022 extremes
Abstract
Climate change is intensifying drought stress in temperate forests, but its effects on tree reproduction, central to forest regeneration and migration capability, remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze 221 time series of beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) seed production across Europe to test whether drought reduces seed output. We isolate drought exposure during the flowering, pollination, and seed maturation phases of reproduction, and test for legacy effects on future reproduction. Seed production was not impaired by summer drought, and dry spring conditions were associated with increased output, likely via enhanced pollen dispersal. Thus, once initiated, beech reproduction is not reduced by drought, with no suppression of reproduction the following year. Reproduction was not reduced at the driest sites during exceptional European summer droughts in 2003, 2018, and 2022. Considered alongside prior evidence that drought suppresses forest growth and elevates mortality, these findings indicate that vital rates can respond in opposite directions to the same stressor. Such contrasts may sustain forest reproduction during heat–drought events yet shift demographic balance toward higher mortality and turnover as climatic extremes intensify.
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BibTeX
@article{szymkowiak2026european,
title = {{European beech reproduction is not reduced by drought, including the 2003, 2018, and 2022 extremes}},
author = {Jakub Szymkowiak and Michał Bogdziewicz and Dave Kelly and Jessie Foest and Sabine Braun and Burkhard Beudert and Francesco Chianucci and Andrea Cutini and Rachel Gaulton and Georg Gratzer and Angelika Kölbl and Georges Kunstler and Jonathan Lageard and Henning Meesenburg and Francesco Mezzavilla and Martina Mund and Anita Nussbaumer and Mario Pesendorfer and Wolfgang Schmidt and Anne Thimonier and Peter Thomas and Stanislav Vacek and Zdeněk Vacek and Arne Verstraeten and Markus Wagner and Andrew Hacket-Pain},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2607167123},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05749890v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - European beech reproduction is not reduced by drought, including the 2003, 2018, and 2022 extremes
AU - Jakub Szymkowiak
AU - Michał Bogdziewicz
AU - Dave Kelly
AU - Jessie Foest
AU - Sabine Braun
AU - Burkhard Beudert
AU - Francesco Chianucci
AU - Andrea Cutini
AU - Rachel Gaulton
AU - Georg Gratzer
AU - Angelika Kölbl
AU - Georges Kunstler
AU - Jonathan Lageard
AU - Henning Meesenburg
AU - Francesco Mezzavilla
AU - Martina Mund
AU - Anita Nussbaumer
AU - Mario Pesendorfer
AU - Wolfgang Schmidt
AU - Anne Thimonier
AU - Peter Thomas
AU - Stanislav Vacek
AU - Zdeněk Vacek
AU - Arne Verstraeten
AU - Markus Wagner
AU - Andrew Hacket-Pain
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/29
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
DO - 10.1073/pnas.2607167123
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05749890v1
AB - Climate change is intensifying drought stress in temperate forests, but its effects on tree reproduction, central to forest regeneration and migration capability, remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze 221 time series of beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) seed production across Europe to test whether drought reduces seed output. We isolate drought exposure during the flowering, pollination, and seed maturation phases of reproduction, and test for legacy effects on future reproduction. Seed production was not impaired by summer drought, and dry spring conditions were associated with increased output, likely via enhanced pollen dispersal. Thus, once initiated, beech reproduction is not reduced by drought, with no suppression of reproduction the following year. Reproduction was not reduced at the driest sites during exceptional European summer droughts in 2003, 2018, and 2022. Considered alongside prior evidence that drought suppresses forest growth and elevates mortality, these findings indicate that vital rates can respond in opposite directions to the same stressor. Such contrasts may sustain forest reproduction during heat–drought events yet shift demographic balance toward higher mortality and turnover as climatic extremes intensify.
SN - 0027-8424
SN - 1091-6490
ER -