The anticipated increase in global temperature coincides with a change in precipitation patterns. Although the spatial and temporal extent of these precipitation changes is still uncertain, it is likely that the adaptive capacity of organisms and ecosystems will be exceeded in many regions. As there is already today a large gradient of precipitation patterns, many plants and ecosystems are adapted to different types of drought conditions, whereas in other regions such adaptations are missing. The differential drought response of plants and consequently of ecosystems will result in changes in ecosystem structure and function, it will alter the carbon and water cycle and will also influence the feedback to the local hydrology and the regional and global climate system.

In the session we aim
• to present different ways how plants respond to drought conditions and how these responses may change in the future
• to discuss how these differentiated responses influence species competition, biodiversity and ecosystem functions
• to elucidate the potential feedback of these changes to the global carbon and water cycle and hence the climate system

We welcome results from experiments, observations and modelling studies that help to understand the current and future responses of individuals and ecosystems to drought.