Wetter Summers Mitigated Temperature Stress on Rocky Mountain Forests During the Last Interglacial Warm Period

Recent droughts have highlighted concerns of how rising summer temperatures will increase tree mortality rates across the western United States. We analyzed subfossil wood samples from Colorado dating to the last interglacial to assess the response of two common conifers to a previous warm period. The trees experienced comparable growth rates and water use efficiency during the interglacial relative to modern despite evidence from model simulations of a similar to 30% increase in evaporative demand during the peak of the growing season. High-resolution isotopic analysis of the wood samples show an enrichment in the late season cellulosic delta 18O relative to modern samples, which we find was associated with increased reliance on summer rain. The data are consistent with model simulations showing the interglacial was associated with wetter summers across the western US. We propose enhanced summer rain during this period compensated for drought stress imposed by higher evaporative demand.

Automated summary

Recent droughts in the western United States have raised concerns about the impact of rising summer temperatures on tree mortality rates. Analysis of subfossil wood samples from Colorado dating to the last interglacial period showed that common conifers exhibited similar growth rates and water use efficiency compared to modern times, despite higher evaporative demand. High-resolution isotopic analysis revealed an enrichment in late season cellulose δ18O, indicating increased reliance on summer rain during the interglacial period. The data are consistent with model simulations suggesting wetter summers in the western US during the interglacial period may have compensated for drought stress caused by higher evaporative demand.