Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 18, 2025

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems
Published on: June 30, 2020
Climate-driven risks to the climate mitigation potential of forests
William R L Anderegg1, Anna T Trugman2, Grayson Badgley3
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84113, USA. anderegg@utah.edu.
Abstract:
Forests have considerable potential to help mitigate human-caused climate change and provide society with many cobenefits. However, climate-driven risks may fundamentally compromise forest carbon sinks in the 21st century. Here, we synthesize the current understanding of climate-driven risks to forest stability from fire, drought, biotic agents, and other disturbances. We review how efforts to use forests as natural climate solutions presently consider and could more fully embrace current scientific knowledge to account for these climate-driven risks. Recent advances in vegetation physiology, disturbance ecology, mechanistic vegetation modeling, large-scale ecological observation networks, and remote sensing are improving current estimates and forecasts of the risks to forest stability. A more holistic understanding and quantification of such risks will help policy-makers and other stakeholders effectively use forests as natural climate solutions.
Related Concept Videos
What is Climate?
Global Climate Change
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Threats to Biodiversity
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

