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Physiological and Hyperspectral Responses of Individual European Beech Trees to Drought Stress: A Pilot Study During a Compound Drought and Heatwave Event.

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Title: Physiological and Hyperspectral Responses of Individual European Beech Trees to Drought Stress: A Pilot Study During a Compound Drought and Heatwave Event.
Authors: Sakowska, Karolina1 (AUTHOR), Belelli Marchesini, Luca2 (AUTHOR), Dalponte, Michele2,3 (AUTHOR), Elfahl, Mustafa1,4 (AUTHOR), Rodeghiero, Mirco2,5 (AUTHOR), Ugolini, Francesca1,3 (AUTHOR), Pilati, Stefania2 (AUTHOR), Vescovo, Loris2,3 (AUTHOR), Alonso Chorda, Luis4,5 (AUTHOR), Torresan, Chiara1,5 (AUTHOR) chiara.torresan@cnr.it
Source: Remote Sensing. Feb2026, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p488. 20p.
Subjects: European beech, Droughts, Climate extremes, Chlorophyll, Hyperspectral imaging systems, Photosynthesis, Forest management
Geographic Terms: Europe, Italy
Abstract: Highlights: What are the main findings? Water-stressed beech exhibited up to 70% reductions in photosynthesis and 35% reductions in chlorophyll content under severe drought conditions. Red-edge hyperspectral indices successfully detected individual-tree stress; the traditional NDVI failed. What are the implications of the main findings? Early drought stress impairs photosynthesis before visible symptoms appear, underscoring the need for proactive monitoring systems for forest management. Airborne remote sensing enables stress detection in beeches facing increasing climate extremes. European beech is a species of both ecological and economic relevance in Europe. However, its high sensitivity to drought poses a significant risk amid increasing climate extremes. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological and spectral responses of beech to drought stress, combining in situ leaf-level measurements with hyperspectral remote sensing data. We set up the experiment in an Alpine European beech forest in northern Italy, which included three water treatments: control, water stress, and irrigation. Physiological data (i.e., leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll content), alongside airborne hyperspectral remote sensing data, were collected from 20 to 29 July 2022 during a compound drought and heatwave (CDHW) event. Water-stressed trees exhibited significantly reduced photosynthetic rates, lower photosystem II efficiency, and higher non-photochemical quenching, indicating impaired photosynthetic performance. Water-stressed beech exhibited up to 70% reduced photosynthesis and 35% lower leaf chlorophyll content under severe drought conditions. Hyperspectral vegetation indices, particularly the RENDVI, CIRE, and SPRI, successfully detected stress status. This exploratory study, based on an intensive analysis of four trees, demonstrates the feasibility of integrating physiological measurements with hyperspectral remote sensing to detect drought-stress signatures in European beech at the individual-tree level, establishing a methodological framework for more extensive future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Physiological and Hyperspectral Responses of Individual European Beech Trees to Drought Stress: A Pilot Study During a Compound Drought and Heatwave Event.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sakowska%2C+Karolina%22">Sakowska, Karolina</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Belelli+Marchesini%2C+Luca%22">Belelli Marchesini, Luca</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dalponte%2C+Michele%22">Dalponte, Michele</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elfahl%2C+Mustafa%22">Elfahl, Mustafa</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rodeghiero%2C+Mirco%22">Rodeghiero, Mirco</searchLink><relatesTo>2,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ugolini%2C+Francesca%22">Ugolini, Francesca</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pilati%2C+Stefania%22">Pilati, Stefania</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vescovo%2C+Loris%22">Vescovo, Loris</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alonso+Chorda%2C+Luis%22">Alonso Chorda, Luis</searchLink><relatesTo>4,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Torresan%2C+Chiara%22">Torresan, Chiara</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> chiara.torresan@cnr.it</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Remote+Sensing%22">Remote Sensing</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p488. 20p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22European+beech%22">European beech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Droughts%22">Droughts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Climate+extremes%22">Climate extremes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chlorophyll%22">Chlorophyll</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hyperspectral+imaging+systems%22">Hyperspectral imaging systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Photosynthesis%22">Photosynthesis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forest+management%22">Forest management</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Europe%22">Europe</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Italy%22">Italy</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Highlights: What are the main findings? Water-stressed beech exhibited up to 70% reductions in photosynthesis and 35% reductions in chlorophyll content under severe drought conditions. Red-edge hyperspectral indices successfully detected individual-tree stress; the traditional NDVI failed. What are the implications of the main findings? Early drought stress impairs photosynthesis before visible symptoms appear, underscoring the need for proactive monitoring systems for forest management. Airborne remote sensing enables stress detection in beeches facing increasing climate extremes. European beech is a species of both ecological and economic relevance in Europe. However, its high sensitivity to drought poses a significant risk amid increasing climate extremes. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological and spectral responses of beech to drought stress, combining in situ leaf-level measurements with hyperspectral remote sensing data. We set up the experiment in an Alpine European beech forest in northern Italy, which included three water treatments: control, water stress, and irrigation. Physiological data (i.e., leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll content), alongside airborne hyperspectral remote sensing data, were collected from 20 to 29 July 2022 during a compound drought and heatwave (CDHW) event. Water-stressed trees exhibited significantly reduced photosynthetic rates, lower photosystem II efficiency, and higher non-photochemical quenching, indicating impaired photosynthetic performance. Water-stressed beech exhibited up to 70% reduced photosynthesis and 35% lower leaf chlorophyll content under severe drought conditions. Hyperspectral vegetation indices, particularly the RENDVI, CIRE, and SPRI, successfully detected stress status. This exploratory study, based on an intensive analysis of four trees, demonstrates the feasibility of integrating physiological measurements with hyperspectral remote sensing to detect drought-stress signatures in European beech at the individual-tree level, establishing a methodological framework for more extensive future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.3390/rs18030488
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 488
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      – SubjectFull: European beech
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Droughts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Climate extremes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chlorophyll
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      – SubjectFull: Hyperspectral imaging systems
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      – SubjectFull: Italy
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              Text: Feb2026
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