September 5, 2025
Forests in the eastern United States are changing. Their composition is shifting from oaks and hickories, which are drought tolerant, to mesophytic species that need more water. As droughts become more common and more severe due to climate change, this change in composition may make the forests less resilient and less productive. It also may make them less effective as carbon sinks – a globally important ecosystem service.
Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center Graduate Fellow Michael Benson of Indiana University led a study to explore the drought sensitivity of different tree species and impacts on carbon sequestration. The researchers synthesized growth and sensitivity data for 20 tree species from thousands of plots following a severe drought in 2012. They found that while water-demanding trees were no more likely to die than oaks and hickories, their growth slowed much more during droughts. This slowdown means forests dominated by mesophytic species could absorb less carbon during dry periods. The authors write in Global Change Biology, “Our results suggest the conservation and regeneration of oak-hickory forests is vital to sustain the current carbon mitigation potential of this highly productive terrestrial carbon sink.”
These findings highlight the importance of conserving oak-hickory forests, which may be better able to maintain carbon storage during drought. As the climate changes, management strategies that support these species will be critical for sustaining healthy, resilient forests in the eastern United States.
Read the full study in Global Change Biology.