Widespread synchronous decline in a Mediterranean forest driven by accelerated aridity

Abstract Ecosystem collapse in direct response to climate change is a critical but poorly documented phenomenon. By assessing the climate context and productivity trends in Mediterranean ecosystems worldwide, we found a large-scale, abrupt forest decline in Chile (>90% in <100 days) as response to a sustained, acute drought unprecedented in the recent history of Mediterranean-type ecosystems. These extreme conditions were projected for 2070-2090, suggesting that climate change impacts are accelerating.