Scienceenvironment
Aspens remember past drought in their leaves, experiment finds
Drought is traditionally recorded in trees through the narrow bands of their annual growth rings. However, new research from University of Utah biologists suggests that quaking aspens go a step further by forming functional memories of previous dry years. This novel cellular and chemical response is reflected directly in the composition of their leaves. The three-year experiment sheds light on how long-lived plant species adapt and respond to shifting environmental pressures over time.