Airborne mapping sheds light on climate sensitivity of California redwoods
Throughout California, the effects of climate change are evident from increasing frequencies of intense wildfires and mudslides to widespread and prolonged droughts. These changes also threaten one of California's most iconic endemic species: coastal redwoods. Coastal redwoods are not only some of the tallest and oldest trees on Earth, but redwood forests are also capable of storing three times more carbon than any other forests on Earth. Identifying suitable habitats for these vulnerable species has important implications for carbon sequestration and redwood forest biodiversity. This is especially urgent given that some regions within the current redwood distribution in California (south of SF Bay) could become unsuitable for redwoods as soon as 2030.