Megafire smoke exposure jeopardizes tree carbohydrate reserves and yield

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Plant Physiology
• Forest Ecology

Background:

• Global megafires are increasing, causing prolonged smoke exposure.
• Wildfire smoke impacts are poorly understood, especially on plant physiology.
• Carbohydrate reserves are vital for tree health and productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of wildfire smoke on tree non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content.
• To quantify the effect of smoke on carbohydrate accumulation in key tree species.
• To assess the implications of smoke-induced NSC decline on tree health and yield.

Main Methods:

• Integrated long-term regional observations of NSC in Prunus dulcis, Pistacia vera, and Juglans regia.
• Utilized spatiotemporal satellite data to correlate smoke exposure with NSC levels.
• Analyzed carbohydrate reductions during dormancy and subsequent growing seasons.

Main Results:

• Dense smoke plumes significantly decrease total non-structural carbohydrates in studied trees.
• Reductions observed in both soluble sugar and starch accumulation.
• Carbohydrate decline persisted into the next season, leading to reduced yield.

Conclusions:

• Wildfire smoke poses a significant, previously unrecognized threat to tree carbohydrate stores.
• Reduced NSC levels impact tree health, productivity, and potentially ecosystem stability.
• Findings have implications for agriculture and natural environments affected by increasing wildfire frequency.