Differential response of oak and beech to late frost damage: an integrated analysis from organ to forest

•Frost-damaged trees lost the first leaf cohort and formed a second one a month later•Leaves of damaged beeches had lower LMA and nitrogen concentration•Damaged beeches kept stem NSC concentration stable, partly by reducing radial growth•No differences were found between damaged and non-damaged oaks•Different species frost response suggest oak has a competitive advantage over beech