Summary
Oaks dominate many ecosystems of California and the United States, making them crucial to biodiversity and economically valuable for timber products, such as lumber and furniture wood. Recent research has demonstrated that oaks are maladapted to current environmental conditions, being better adapted to cooler environments present 20,000 years ago. This unexpected maladaptation results in tree mortality, reduced growth, and increased susceptibility to pathogens. The project investigates the understudied concept of oak maladaptation by linking physiological traits, tree performance and fitness,
