Differential response of oak and beech to late frost damage: an integrated analysis from organ to forest

Intense spring freezing events can kill the recently produced cohort of leaves, forcing trees to expend additional carbon and nutrient stocks produce a second leaves. The future trends in frequency late frosts will affect adaptation some tree species their current habitats. Here we studied effect frost which occurred 2017 on mixed beech (Fagus sylvatica)-oak (Quercus petraea) forest located central Spain, where these reach southernmost distribution limits. We followed multi-scale approach from organ levels. At level, leaf stem morphological biochemical traits were compared between frost-damaged non-damaged trees. radial growth damaged stand Leaf Area Index (LAI) daily variations NDVI during with those average years areas dominated by oak. Finally, at scale, dynamics three previous years. According our results, kept non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations stable drastically reducing wood production. This reduction could compensate for drop inputs due death first cohort, need form one-month delay both flushes smaller photosynthetic surface cohort. In contrast, although oaks lost leaves formed one, no differences individual area phenology, nor NSC found when comparing oaks. differential response seems provide oak competitive advantage over beech.