Tree-ring growth and stable isotopes (13C and 15N) detect effects of wildfires on tree physiological processes in Pinus sylvestris L.

Abstract Purpose of Review Society is concerned about the long-term condition of the forests. Although a clear definition of forest health is still missing, to evaluate forest health, monitoring efforts in the past 40 years have concentrated on the assessment of tree vitality, trying to estimate tree photosynthesis rates and productivity. Used in monitoring forest decline in Central Europe since the 1980s, crown foliage transparency has been commonly believed to be the best indicator of tree condition in relation to air pollution, although annual variations appear more closely related to water stress. Although crown transparency is not a good indicator of tree photosynthesis rates, defoliation is still one of the most used indicators of tree vitality. Tree rings have been often used as indicators of past productivity. However, long-term tree growth trends are difficult to interpret because of sampling bias, and ring width patterns do not provide any information about tree physiological processes. Recent Findings In the past two decades, tree-ring stable isotopes have been used not only to reconstruct the impact of past climatic events, such as drought, but also in the study of forest decline induced by air pollution episodes, and other natural disturbances and environmental stress, such as pest outbreaks and wildfires. They have proven to be useful tools for understanding physiological processes and tree response to such stress factors. Summary Tree-ring stable isotopes integrate crown transpiration rates and photosynthesis rates and may enhance our understanding of tree vitality. They are promising indicators of tree vitality. We call for the use of tree-ring stable isotopes in future monitoring programmes.

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Tree vitality and forest health: any better indicators?

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-15377 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Paolo Cherubini ◽

Giovanna Battipaglia ◽

John L. Innes

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotopes ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Forest Health ◽

Ring Width ◽

Sampling Bias ◽

Stress Factors ◽

Tree Vitality ◽

The Past ◽

Physiological Processes ◽

The Impact

<p>Forest health, although not yet unanimously defined, has been monitored in the past forty years assessing tree vitality, trying to estimate tree photosynthesis rates and productivity. Used in monitoring forest decline in Central Europe since the 1980s, crown foliage transparency has been commonly believed to be the best indicator of tree condition in relation to air pollution, although annual variations appear more closely related to water stress. Although crown transparency is not a good indicator of tree photosynthesis rates, defoliation is still one of the most used indicators of tree vitality. Tree rings have been often used as indicators of past productivity. However, long-term tree-growth trends are difficult to interpret because of sampling bias, and ring-width patterns do not provide any information about tree physiological processes.&#160;In the past two decades, tree-ring carbon and oxygen stable isotopes have been used &#160;to reconstruct the impact of past climatic events, such as drought. They have proven to be useful tools for retrospectively understanding physiological processes and tree response to &#160;stress factors.&#160;Tree-ring stable isotopes integrate crown transpiration rates and photosynthesis rates and may enhance our understanding of tree vitality. They are promising indicators of tree vitality. We call for the use of tree-ring stable isotopes in future monitoring programmes.</p>

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Climatic signals in tree-ring width and stable isotopes composition of Pinus sylvestris L. Growing in the industrialized area nearby Kędzierzyn-Koźle

Geochronometria ◽

10.1515/geochr-2015-0070 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 240-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Barbara Sensuła ◽

Sławomir Wilczyński

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotopes ◽

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Rings ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ring Width ◽

Spectrometric Analysis ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

The Impact

Abstract The main aims of these studies were dendrochronological and mass spectrometric analysis of the impact of climate on tree rings width and stable isotopes composition in pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The conifers were growing in the vicinity of chemical and nitrogen factories in Kędzierzyn-Koźle (Poland) in the period of time from 1920s to 2012 AD. The combined usage of tree ring width and isotopic composition data provides historic records of the environment changes. These data allows identifying the behavior adaptation of pine growing under pollution stress to climate changes. The incremental rhythm of the studied pine populations was not identical, probably due to their different sensitivities to some climatic factors. This study evidences that the isotopic records in tree-rings α-cellulose may be sensitive bio-indicators of the way that the components of air and water may be changed by the trees in response to the climate changes and anthropogenic effects. The water use efficiency may be strongly correlated with variability of the surface temperature that may be due to increase of CO2 emission.

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ABSOLUTE DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL SCALE FOR PINE (PINUS SYLVESTRIS L.) FROM UJŚCIE (NW POLAND), DATED USING RAPID ATMOSPHERIC 14C CHANGES

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/rdc.2020.116 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Marek Krąpiec ◽

Andrzej Rakowski ◽

Jacek Pawlyta ◽

Damian Wiktorowski ◽

Monika Bolka

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Middle Ages ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Rings ◽

Matching Method ◽

Early Middle Ages ◽

Rapid Changes ◽

Absolute Age ◽

Nw Poland

ABSTRACT Radiocarbon (14C) analyses are commonly used to determine the absolute age of floating tree-ring chronologies. At best, with the wiggle-matching method, a precision of 10 years could be achieved. For the early Middle Ages, this situation has been markedly improved by the discovery of rapid changes in atmospheric 14C concentrations in tree-rings dated to 774/775 and 993/994 AD. These high-resolution changes can be used to secure other floating tree-ring sequences to within 1-year accuracy. While a number of studies have used the 774 even to secure floating tree-ring sequences, the less abrupt 993 event has not been so well utilized. This study dates a floating pine chronology from Ujście in Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) (NW Poland), which covers the 10th century period and is critical for studies on the beginning of the Polish State to the calendar years 859–1085 AD using the changes in single year radiocarbon around 993/4 AD.

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Different climate sensitivity for radial growth, but uniform for tree-ring stable isotopes along an aridity gradient in Polylepis tarapacana, the world’s highest elevation tree-species

Tree Physiology ◽

10.1093/treephys/tpab021 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Milagros Rodriguez-Caton ◽

Laia Andreu-Hayles ◽

Mariano S Morales ◽

Valérie Daux ◽

Duncan A Christie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotopes ◽

Carbon Source ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Carbon Sink ◽

Growing Season ◽

Wood Formation ◽

Aridity Gradient ◽

Leaf Level ◽

Δ13c And Δ18o

Abstract Tree growth is generally considered to be temperature-limited at upper elevation treelines. Yet, climate factors controlling tree growth at semiarid treelines are poorly understood. We explored the influence of climate on stem growth and stable isotopes for Polyepis tarapacana, the world’s highest elevation tree-species found only in the South American Altiplano. We developed tree-ring width index (RWI), oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) chronologies for the last 60 years at four P. tarapacana stands located above 4,400 meters in elevation, along a 500-km latitude-aridity gradient. Total annual precipitation decreased from 300 to 200 mm from the northern to the southern sites. We used RWI as a proxy of wood formation (carbon sink) and isotopic tree-ring signatures as proxies of leaf-level gas exchange processes (carbon source). We found distinct climatic conditions regulating carbon-sink processes along the gradient. Current-growing season temperature regulated RWI at wetter-northern sites, while prior-growing season precipitation determined RWI at arid-southern sites. This suggests that the relative importance of temperature to precipitation in regulating tree growth is driven by site-water availability. In contrast, warm and dry growing-seasons resulted in enriched tree-ring δ13C and δ18O at all study sites, suggesting that similar climate conditions control carbon-source processes. Site-level δ13C and δ18O chronologies were significantly and positively related at all sites, with the strongest relationships among the southern-drier stands. This indicates an overall regulation of intercellular carbon dioxide via stomatal conductance for the entire P. tarapacana network, with greater stomatal control when aridity increases. The manuscript also highlights a coupling and decoupling of physiological processes at leaf level versus wood formation depending on their respectively uniform and distinct sensitivity to climate. This study contributes to better understand and predict the response of high-elevation Polylepis woodlands to rapid climate changes and projected drying in the Altiplano.

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Beyond tree-ring widths: stable isotopes sharpen the focus on climate responses of temperate forest trees

Tree Physiology ◽

10.1093/treephys/tpu115 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 1-3 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

L. A. Cernusak ◽

N. B. English

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotopes ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Temperate Forest ◽

Forest Trees ◽

Climate Responses

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3-PG: ein physiologisches Waldwachstumsmodell

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2020.0158 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 171 (3) ◽

pp. 158-164

Author(s):

David I. Forrester ◽

Volodymyr Trotsiuk ◽

Amanda S. Mathys

Keyword(s):

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Fagus Sylvatica ◽

Physiological Processes

3-PG: ein physiologisches Waldwachstumsmodell Ertragstafeln waren die ersten Waldwachstumsmodelle, die in Europa entwickelt wurden. Diese empirischen Modelle sind für die Anwendung unter zukünftigen klimatischen Bedingungen, für Mischbestände oder für die Abschätzung der Effekte neuer waldbaulicher Systeme ungeeignet. In den letzten Jahrzehnten wurden zunehmend Alternativen zu Ertragstafeln entwickelt, unter anderem prozessbasierte Modelle, die auch Zustände ausserhalb der Beobachtungsdaten abbilden können. Solche Modelle berücksichtigen Wachstumsdaten, aber ihre Formulierungen basieren meist auf physiologischen und allometrischen Prinzipien des Pflanzenwachstums. Zu dieser Modellfamilie gehört 3-PG (Physiological Processes Predicting Growth), das in Australien und Nordamerika für gleichaltrige Reinbestände von immergrünen Laub- und Nadelbäumen entwickelt wurde. In einer kürzlich erfolgten Weiterentwicklung (Version 3-PGmix) können auch Wechselwirkungen zwischen Bäumen verschiedener Grösse, verschiedenen Alters und verschiedener Arten simuliert werden. Der Artikel beschreibt das Modell, das aus sechs Untermodellen besteht und trotz seiner physiologischen Grundlagen Kenngrössen liefert, die für die praktische Forstwirtschaft von grosser Bedeutung sind. Zwei Beispiele von Anwendungen von 3-PG für die Schweiz werden vorgestellt. Im ersten Beispiel wird die Veränderung des Wachstums in Mischbeständen aus Waldföhre (Pinus sylvestris) und Buche (Fagus sylvatica) aufgrund des Klimawandels dargestellt. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass das Wachstum der Buche durch erhöhte Trockenheit wesentlich stärker eingeschränkt wird als jenes der Waldföhre, die zwar ebenfalls durch die Trockenheit stärker limitiert wird, aber gleichzeitig vom geringeren Konkurrenzdruck durch die Buche profitiert. Im zweiten Beispiel wird 3-PG angewendet, um den klimatischen Stress für die Buche als Funktion der Standorteigenschaften schweizweit zu quantifizieren. Beide Beispiele zeigen, dass 3-PG standortspezifische Informationen liefert, wie die Waldwachstumsdynamik durch Klima, Artenzusammensetzung und Waldbau beeinflusst wird.

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Different climate response of three tree ring proxies of Pinus sylvestris from the Eastern Carpathians, Romania

Dendrochronologia ◽

10.1016/j.dendro.2019.02.007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 56-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Viorica Nagavciuc ◽

Cătălin-Constantin Roibu ◽

Monica Ionita ◽

Andrei Mursa ◽

Mihai-Gabriel Cotos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Climate Response ◽

Eastern Carpathians

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Stable isotope paleoclimatology of the earliest Eocene using kimberlite-hosted mummified wood from the Canadian Subarctic

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-12-5899-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

pp. 5899-5914 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

B. A. Hook ◽

J. Halfar ◽

Z. Gedalof ◽

J. Bollmann ◽

D. J. Schulze

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotopes ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Transfer Functions ◽

Ring Width ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

The Arctic ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Leaf Margin ◽

Early Eocene ◽

Intrinsic Water Use Efficiency

Abstract. The recent discovery of well-preserved mummified wood buried within a subarctic kimberlite diamond mine prompted a paleoclimatic study of the early Eocene "hothouse" (ca. 53.3 Ma). At the time of kimberlite eruption, the Subarctic was warm and humid producing a temperate rainforest biome well north of the Arctic Circle. Previous studies have estimated that mean annual temperatures in this region were 4–20 °C in the early Eocene, using a variety of proxies including leaf margin analysis and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ18O) of fossil cellulose. Here, we examine stable isotopes of tree-ring cellulose at subannual- to annual-scale resolution, using the oldest viable cellulose found to date. We use mechanistic models and transfer functions to estimate earliest Eocene temperatures using mummified cellulose, which was well preserved in the kimberlite. Multiple samples of Piceoxylon wood within the kimberlite were crossdated by tree-ring width. Multiple proxies are used in combination to tease apart likely environmental factors influencing the tree physiology and growth in the unique extinct ecosystem of the Polar rainforest. Calculations of interannual variation in temperature over a multidecadal time-slice in the early Eocene are presented, with a mean annual temperature (MAT) estimate of 11.4 °C (1 σ = 1.8 °C) based on δ18O, which is 16 °C warmer than the current MAT of the area (−4.6 °C). Early Eocene atmospheric δ13C (δ13Catm) estimates were −5.5 (±0.7) ‰. Isotopic discrimination (Δ) and leaf intercellular pCO2 ratio (ci/ca) were similar to modern values (Δ = 18.7 ± 0.8 ‰; ci/ca = 0.63 ± 0.03 %), but intrinsic water use efficiency (Early Eocene iWUE = 211 ± 20 μmol mol−1) was over twice the level found in modern high-latitude trees. Dual-isotope spectral analysis suggests that multidecadal climate cycles somewhat similar to the modern Pacific Decadal Oscillation likely drove temperature and cloudiness trends on 20–30-year timescales, influencing photosynthetic productivity and tree growth patterns.

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