Climate change enhanced wildfire and drought, and the plant making it worse
Eucalyptus species have an amazing suite of adaptations. They are fast growing and well adapted to fire. They have volatile, highly flammable oils in their leaves making them more likely to catch fire. They are also extremely thirsty plants, causing major problems in climate change induced, drought hit regions like Cape Town where it is invasive. They are also known to release chemicals which inhibit the growth of plants growing nearby. Finally, they are one of the highest emitters of isoprene, and have been shown to increase these emissions when stressed. Isoprene emissions from plants substantially affect the physical and chemical properties of the atmosphere, through their influence on greenhouse gases. All in all, despite their renowned economic value in timber plantations, these are trees that will become less and less appreciated in certain regions of the world as temperatures rise.
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