Researchers from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Utah sought to determine how our forest ecosystems might fare in the near future. The authors combined mathematical models and data collected by the US Forest Service and plant physiologists to understand the vulnerability of forests to drought. Their findings suggest that while most forests have the potential to adapt to warmer, drier conditions, they are not changing fast enough to avoid impending stress. The study, published in Global Change Biology, serves as a benchmark for future forest research as well as a guide for conservation and management. (Harrison Tasoff, the current)