Dieback and mortality of junipers caused by drought: Dissimilar growth and wood isotope patterns preceding shrub death

Drought-induced dieback episodes are globally reported among forest ecosystems but they have been understudied in scrublands. Chronically-stressed individuals are supposed to be more vulnerable prior to drought which triggers death. We analyzed drought-triggered dieback and mortality events affecting Mediterranean Juniperus phoenicea scrublands in two sites with contrasting climate and soil conditions located in Spain. We characterized the...