Drought-Induced Shifts in Biomass Allocation and Carbon Sequestration in Arid Zone Tree Species

Abstract

A rapidly growing population demands greater access to food, feed, and shelter, increasing the strain on natural resources. Human activities, such as converting forests into arable lands and increasing CO₂ emissions, intensify atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. After a significant rise in atmospheric carbon levels, global temperatures have surged, resulting in the frequent occurrence of droughts worldwide. Drought, a protracted episode of unusually low rainfall, has a detrimental effect on ecosystems in dry zones. Reduced growth, changed phenology, and higher mortality of trees are a result of the physiological and ecological changes. The present review focuses on shifts in allocation between aboveground (leaves, stems) and belowground (roots) biomass, as well as within aboveground components. It assesses how these drought-induced changes impact overall tree growth, carbon storage capacity, and long-term resilience. This review aims to identify patterns and knowledge gaps to understand how arid zone forests respond to and influence the global carbon cycle under increasing drought conditions.