New article in Science

Warming temperatures are increasing the length of the growing season outside of the tropics, potentially leading to an increase in total tree growth and thus carbon stored in forests. However, warming can induce drought, which limits wood growth. Cabon et al. examined this problem by comparing the rate and duration of wood formation in relation to climate using direct measurements of cambium cell production in 27 conifer species across more than 100 sites. Although a longer growing season in warmer sites increased annual cell production, it was more dependent on growth rate, which peaked at about 6°C, suggesting that warming may produce lower conifer wood growth, even with a longer growing season. —Bianca Lopez

Cabon, A., Fonti, P., von Arx, G., Biondi, F., Camarero, J. J., Campelo, F., . . . Rathgeber, C. B. K. (2026). Growth rate overrides the benefit of extended growing season from boreal to semiarid conifers. Science, 393(6816), 1101–1106. doi:10.1126/science.aec8866