Increasing atmospheric humidity and CO ₂ concentration alleviate forest mortality risk

Significance The significance of forest mortality on ecosystem services, and water, carbon, and nutrient cycling is indubitable. While there is a general agreement that climate change-induced heat and drought stress is expected to intensify forest mortality, the concurrent influence of changes in atmospheric humidity and CO 2 concentration remains unclear. Here, the response of mortality risk to projected climate change is evaluated in 13 biomes across the globe. Our results show that increasing specific humidity and CO 2 concentration partially offset the intensification of risk by changing precipitation and air temperature. The risk response is also mediated by plant hydraulic traits. The study provides a mechanistic foundation for estimating future responses of forest mortality risk, which can facilitate ecosystem management.