Spain's Forests: 25-Year Study Reveals Climate Impact

[{"selector":"#anim-acba526a-aa49-4f57-bf52-5da4b92fddb3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7fbb334d-56ec-4f9f-9ceb-5b4e33c0a1e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c972083-c507-4fd4-abc8-d4f79c80a60e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd676d21-00df-41a2-8987-644b069729da","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Spain's Forests: 25-Year Study Reveals Climate Impact Govind Tekale

Scientists tracked 445,000 trees across Spain for 25 years to discover how forests adapt to rising temperatures and climate shifts.

[{"selector":"#anim-79fcf776-257a-46c4-93e1-d3af2df1b233","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9903557-94a2-42bf-a7de-6ed147694396","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-136a2a6e-97b1-42a5-bac2-81023a71fa5f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-010a8808-4a6f-40f9-9d50-2eaf4f1db5b7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea4dfd33-3107-431b-af95-ed2a40a671cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Tiia Monto (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Trees with thinner leaves and stronger roots proved most successful at surviving hotter, drier conditions sweeping across forest regions.

[{"selector":"#anim-e25a72c4-1fa4-4d2c-a6de-d798b7317e34","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39b4be18-90dd-462e-8fea-32aa6eaf6ae1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.52108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e67dee92-4891-4d8b-9706-6ea30945bcec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84b0a96e-db70-4a71-a524-b58a0926e140","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-398b6e9f-b073-4c2c-880d-27504ca94d17","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Fabio Dinasti (Pexels)

Aleppo pines and cork oaks thrive in heat thanks to deep roots that reach underground water sources, while common alders near rivers struggle.

[{"selector":"#anim-74d1e502-225e-4608-9e7c-100e7186f5f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8778d319-8e3c-402c-b6aa-4ea551131510","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24b1e45d-0c95-4a00-ba7a-835fca0d2ccf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4ab957f-43d7-4410-ae09-26a14cd5d838","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb3d5475-ce3c-4c6c-9caf-7c5142901fe7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Kent Wang (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Beech and oak trees now grow in previously frigid zones, marking clear evidence of warming temperatures reshaping forest boundaries.

[{"selector":"#anim-8c7419ce-d3c8-4c28-b840-5175dc26583d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-48f78eb5-eda0-42f7-b1b3-3c5bc27fce96","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.52108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e21f5e3c-5b60-4088-9984-c71eed3239fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dcd30fc0-4ba6-47b9-82de-bf3172dc4790","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34b6eb51-3275-4e7e-b126-e4a4a917a1e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Jim Champion (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Research spanning 1986-2019 across 21,717 forest plots shows species with easy-to-produce leaves dominating cooler areas.

[{"selector":"#anim-e2b1e1c7-d17a-478a-b67c-c36f6f62f545","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32cbe902-b39d-45da-95f6-e0ca8366ec50","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d1e2285-627c-48f7-9127-37ccd261ae1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8d818446-6798-4036-8132-f3982ea81d9e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4ee4391-2d99-4897-aa96-a6a524335ff1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Leonhard Lenz (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Abandoned farmlands transform into dense forests, raising fire risks where heat-tolerant but flammable species like Aleppo pines spread.

[{"selector":"#anim-d35fc26a-0a45-474c-990a-f9fbc33bcbee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01d12576-c408-4131-ab87-09de76be4483","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.29626%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22e971ee-c464-4a09-8c39-0e182ea182ca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-701156db-22c4-4474-9ce6-732db41f9b9a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84d02f87-7ed9-4349-b71c-86ab5f6f655f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Chiwauk (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Scientists Josep Padullés, Javier Retana and Albert Vilà-Cabrera continue mapping these changes to predict future forest patterns.

[{"selector":"#anim-7063db9d-9fed-4669-9446-a0fb8761aaf4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55faa74a-8491-4c63-ab65-b0628a8ef9ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e2206f5-d068-4949-a5a7-eed1f0a151ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b650ec6-9a97-442c-9640-cd820418588a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46221345-2a04-47a1-9a9e-fa29d0a1a7b1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Bureau of Land (CC BY 2.0)

Forest biodiversity faces pressure as species linked to humid environments decline in increasingly arid regions.

[{"selector":"#anim-8961805c-8ea3-431b-a3e5-1bfe0b938e3b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-609384ae-ccc0-4763-ba7b-cdd31dffc18e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 248.25715%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f671e97-8f47-48d5-8a99-10167f0e783b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7451e61-f3d4-45d3-9864-601dbe66a7fc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1fc56dcb-04cb-41b1-9634-e91ef2cb0d23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Reanimated Man X (Pexels)

[{"selector":"#anim-d559e8ab-524f-43f5-8d9d-7d62a980d7a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4b73fdf-6fdc-412f-a188-5d08dffd8250","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62ffa519-e65f-42e2-a3e8-bdb359d80de0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-049bf88b-5830-47b7-9041-385227c95823","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-340a2005-251b-43b6-9876-02a31955cbfc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Lake District Faces Climate and Conservation Challenges Learn more