Published in ERW, 4 Mar 2013
Researchers in Europe have uncovered how forests dating back to the 16th century responded to extreme climate events such as droughts. The analysis, which reveals that an extreme event can affect the growth of trees for more than one year, should help scientists develop more accurate vegetation models.
An extreme climate event is one that falls outside normal climate variability. However, the precise definition depends on the time period covered. Over the short term, floods or storms can classify as extreme events. Longer-term events can include prolonged periods of high or low temperatures. Examples of these include the 2010 wildfires in Russia and the 2003 heatwave in southern and central Europe, which is estimated to have caused around 70,000 deaths. […]
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