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Vegetation

Vegetation refers to plant life, including agricultural and developed vegetation, desert and semi-desert, forest, shrubs, herbs, and natural land cover. Drought can result in reduced growth rates, increased stress on vegetation, and alterations or transformations to the plant community and/or the entire ecosystem.

Vegetation and Drought

Tall, green trees with a mountain in the background

Water is necessary for every aspect of plant development, including gemination, cell division, and respiration. The stress of drought may induce complex changes in biochemical, physiological, and morphological aspects of plants, limiting vegetative health, growth, regeneration of the plant population, the vegetative community in a region, and/or the entire ecosystem. The exact nature of impacts to vegetation depends on the drought—its severity, spatial extent, seasonal timing, and persistence, and the capacity of the vegetation to absorb and adapt to disturbances, and vegetation management actions.

Data, Maps, and Tools

During periods of drought, plants increase their demand for water through increased evapotranspiration and longer growing seasons.

U.S. Vegetation and Drought

Unfavorable Conditions
48
Favorable Conditions
100
Vegetation Conditions

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Research & Learn | Ecological Drought

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