Tall trees drought resilience study
Analysis based on 8 articles · First reported Jul 02, 2026 · Last updated Jul 09, 2026
The findings may lead to revisions in climate models that previously assumed tall trees are more vulnerable to drought, potentially affecting carbon storage projections. However, the study is specific to dipterocarps in Southeast Asia, so direct market impact is limited.
A study published in Science on July 2, 2026, led by Cardiff University and the University of Exeter, found that the tallest tropical dipterocarp trees in Malaysian Borneo are not more vulnerable to drought than smaller trees. The research, which involved measuring 38 trees up to 71 meters tall, showed that these trees compensate for height by widening water-carrying vessels near the ground and adapting leaves to withstand greater water stress. During the 2023-2024 El Niño drought, tall trees did not suffer greater growth loss than shorter ones, challenging a long-held assumption used in climate models that tall trees are more drought-sensitive. The study was funded by the United Kingdom — Natural Environment Research Council and involved multiple international institutions.
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