Hotter, more frequent droughts threaten California's iconic blue oak woodlands

2016 drought in California triggered widespread tree cover loss and die-offs of a variety of species in the region. A new study in the open access journal Frontiers in Climate is the first to show that California's iconic blue oak (Quercus douglasii) woodlands have also decreased by more than 1,200 km2. By another metric, which reflects the altered or deteriorating condition of the tree cover, the blue oak range has lost over 600 km2 in addition. These findings highlight the need to raise awareness about the vulnerability of these ecosystems and to adapt conservation strategies to increasing climate extremes.