Plants and trees can intensify droughts by drawing up large amounts of water

A team of biologists at the University of Utah has found that during prolonged periods of heat with low rainfall, some plants and trees waste valuable soil moisture in an effort to cool themselves off. According to the researchers, this behavior can actually intensify drought conditions. "We show that the actual physiology of the plant matters," said study co-author Professor William Anderegg. "How trees take up, transport and evaporate water can influence societally important extreme events, like severe droughts, that can affect people and cities." Through …