Contrasting resistance and resilience to extreme drought and late spring frost in five major European tree species.

Extreme climate events (ECEs) such as severe droughts, heat waves, and late spring frosts are rare but exert a paramount role in shaping tree species distributions. The frequency of such ECEs is expected to increase with climate warming, threatening the sustainability of temperate forests. Here, we analyzed 2,844 tree-ring width series of five dominant European tree species from 104 Swiss sites ranging from 400 to 2,200 m a.

Long-term outcome of heart transplantation performed after ventricular assist device compared with standard heart transplantation.

Background: Data on the long-term outcome of heart transplantation in patients with a ventricular assist device (VAD) are scarce.

Aim: To evaluate long-term outcome after heart transplantation in patients with a VAD compared with no mechanical circulatory support.

Methods: Consecutive all-comers who underwent heart transplantation were included at a single high-volume centre from January 2005 until December 2012, with 5 years of follow-up.

Driving factors of a vegetation shift from Scots pine to pubescent oak in dry Alpine forests.

An increasing number of studies have reported on forest declines and vegetation shifts triggered by drought. In the Swiss Rhone valley (Valais), one of the driest inner-Alpine regions, the species composition in low elevation forests is changing: The sub-boreal Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) dominating the dry forests is showing high mortality rates.

Drought-adaptation potential in Fagus sylvatica: linking moisture availability with genetic diversity and dendrochronology.

Background: Microevolution is essential for species persistence especially under anticipated climate change scenarios. Species distribution projection models suggested that the dominant tree species of lowland forests in Switzerland, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), might disappear from most areas due to expected longer dry periods.

Large old trees influence patterns of delta13C and delta15N in forests.

Large old trees are the dominant primary producers of native pine forest, but their influence on spatial patterns of soil properties and potential feedback to tree regeneration in their neighbourhood is poorly understood. We measured stable isotopes of carbon (delta(13)C) and nitrogen (delta(15)N) in soil and litter taken from three zones of influence (inner, middle and outer zone) around the trunk of freestanding old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees, to determine the trees' influence on below-ground properties.