The functional characteristics of Mediterranean deciduous trees provide an interesting model for
investigating adaptative mechanisms to drought, useful to understand future changes of northern forests
in scenery of climate change. In this article we analyse how a Mediterranean deciduous oak, Quercus
pyrenaica, with a short vegetative period coincident with summer drought, cope with water deficit in
that period. We revised published data on temporal dynamic of soil moisture and physiological status of
tree leaves of several forest stands of Central–Western Spain and discuss the significance of soil water
reserve and deep rooting system on the maintenance of tree transpiration and physiological activity of
the trees along summer drought. Results revealed that (i) Q. pyrenaicaoak is only slightly water-limited
during summer drought, (ii) Q. pyrenaicaoaks depend on thick weathered, porous bedrocks, and (iii) Q.
pyrenaicais a well-performing deciduous oak to cope with increasing summer drought.Peer reviewe
