Beech genomes for the future: Adapting forests to climate change
As climate change accelerates, Europe's forests are under increasing stress. European beech (Fagus sylvatica), a dominant and ecologically important tree species, has been especially harmed by recent droughts, including the severe event of 2018 that caused widespread dieback across Switzerland but also in other parts of Europe. While some individuals or populations appear more resilient, we still do not know why this variability exists.
In the first week of April, more than 20 researchers and practitioners from Switzerland and Europe met at the University of Zurich’s Department of Geography for a one-day workshop on the future of beech forests. We discussed the current state of research on the spatial distribution of genomic variation in beech and how this diversity might shape the species’ resilience to drier and hotter climates.
GIUZ Blog, 22.05.2025
Sofia van Moorsel