Do Floods Kill Trees?

Most tree species can withstand one to four months of flooding during the dormant season. When flooding occurs during the growing season, especially during warmer weather, one to two weeks of flooding can cause major, long-term damage to sensitive trees and shrubs, even death with some species.

What happens to trees when flooded?

Flooding harms trees by depleting oxygen levels in soil. Roots need oxygen for growth and respiration. When oxygen is depleted in flooded or saturated soils, this leads to root death, build-up of toxic compounds in a tree and reduced nutrient uptake. ... Some trees respond by quickly growing new roots into the sediment.

How do trees adapt to flooding?

To adapt to flooded conditions, some trees overcome the flood period by dormancy accompanied by defoliation and formation of annual rings in the wood. Other species maintain metabolism and retain the foliage during the flooding, representing another adaptive mechanism to low oxygen availability.