Forests and climate change - The situation in the Mediterranean region

Abstract

The Mediterranean region is particularly affected by climate change for two reasons. On the one hand, climate change in the Mediterranean region is faster than the global average, and this trend is expected to increase in the future. On the other hand, the combination of a marked drought with the hottest season is the main component defining the Mediterranean climate. It already constitutes the greatest constraint for vegetation. Although this vegetation is adapted to it, at least in the conditions of the past, the current changes are likely to aggravate it beyond the known resistance of the plants. In this article, the author takes stock of the current changes and their impacts on trees and, beyond that, on the entire forest ecosystem.