The impacts of climatic factors on radial growth patterns at different stem heights in Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana)

Rising temperatures and aridification, combined with the stressing effect of some hemiparasitic plants such as mistletoes, may contribute to reduce vigour and growth of trees and shrubs leading to dieback and increasing mortality. This has been rarely explored in pioneer shrubs such as junipers, which are assumed to be more drought tolerant than coexisting trees. To test these ideas, we reconstructed radial growth patterns of common junipers (Juniperus communis L.) with different crown cover and infestation degree by dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium oxycedri (DC.) M. Bieb.) in two sites with contrasting aspect and water availability located in north-eastern Spain. We used dendrochronology to study the response of junipers’ radial growth to climatic factors (temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture), an index of drought severity, and mistletoe infestation. Juniper growth was constrained by elevated temperatures and low precipitation leading to drought during the growing season. Infestation by dwarf mistletoe contributed to a short-term growth decline in junipers. The interaction between low summer precipitation and high dwarf mistletoe infestation constrained juniper growth, particularly in the north-oriented wetter site, where hosts presented higher growth rates during wet periods. The negative impact of low summer precipitation on juniper growth overrides the effects due to dwarf mistletoe infestation. Aridification and mistletoe infestation could trigger dieback and mortality of shrubs slowing down successional dynamics and delaying shrub encroachment into former croplands and grasslands.

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Comparison of the Radial Growth Response of Picea crassifolia to Climate Change in Different Regions of the Central and Eastern Qilian Mountains

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12081015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 1015

Author(s):

Xuan Wu ◽

Liang Jiao ◽

Dashi Du ◽

Changliang Qi ◽

Ruhong Xue

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Central Region ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Growing Season ◽

Qilian Mountains ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Total Precipitation ◽

Picea Crassifolia ◽

The Qilian Mountains

It is important to explore the responses of radial tree growth in different regions to understand growth patterns and to enhance forest management and protection with climate change. We constructed tree ring width chronologies of Picea crassifolia from different regions of the Qilian Mountains of northwest China. We used Pearson correlation and moving correlation to analyze the main climate factors limiting radial growth of trees and the temporal stability of the growth–climate relationship, while spatial correlation is the result of further testing the first two terms in space. The conclusions were as follows: (1) Radial growth had different trends, showing an increasing followed by a decreasing trend in the central region, a continuously increasing trend in the eastern region, and a gradually decreasing trend in the isolated mountain. (2) Radial tree growth in the central region and isolated mountains was constrained by drought stress, and tree growth in the central region was significantly negatively correlated with growing season temperature. Isolated mountains showed a significant negative correlation with mean minimum of growing season and a significant positive correlation with total precipitation. (3) Temporal dynamic responses of radial growth in the central region to the temperatures and SPEI (the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index) in the growing season were unstable, the isolated mountains to total precipitation was unstable, and that to SPEI was stable. The results of this study suggest that scientific management and maintenance plans of the forest ecosystem should be developed according to the response and growth patterns of the Qinghai spruce to climate change in different regions of the Qilian Mountains.

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Radial Growth Response of European Larch Provenances to Interannual Climate Variation in Poland

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12030334 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 334

Author(s):

Norbert Szymański ◽

Sławomir Wilczyński

Keyword(s):

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Principal Component ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Growth Responses ◽

European Larch ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Provenance Trials ◽

High Precipitation ◽

Climatic Elements

The present study identified the similarities and differences in the radial growth responses of 20 provenances of 51-year-old European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) trees from Poland to the climatic conditions at three provenance trials situated in the Polish lowlands (Siemianice), uplands (Bliżyn) and mountains (Krynica). A chronology of radial growth indices was developed for each of 60 European larch populations, which highlighted the interannual variations in the climate-mediated radial growth of their trees. With the aid of principal component, correlation and multiple regression analysis, supra-regional climatic elements were identified to which all the larch provenances reacted similarly at all three provenance trials. They increased the radial growth in years with a short, warm and precipitation-rich winter; a cool and humid summer and when high precipitation in late autumn of the previous year was noted. Moreover, other climatic elements were identified to which two groups of the larch provenances reacted differently at each provenance trial. In the lowland climate, the provenances reacted differently to temperature in November to December of the previous year and July and to precipitation in September. In the upland climate, the provenances differed in growth sensitivity to precipitation in October of the previous year and June–September. In the mountain climate, the provenances responded differently to temperature and precipitation in September of the previous year and to precipitation in February, June and September of the year of tree ring formation. The results imply that both climatic factors and origin (genotype), i.e., the genetic factor, mediate the climate–growth relationships of larch provenances.

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A synthesis of radial growth patterns preceding tree mortality

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.13535 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 1675-1690 ◽

Cited By ~ 179

Author(s):

Maxime Cailleret ◽

Steven Jansen ◽

Elisabeth M. R. Robert ◽

Lucía Desoto ◽

Tuomas Aakala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radial Growth ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Growth Patterns

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Dendrochronological analysis and growth patterns of Polylepis reticulata (Rosaceae) in the Ecuadorian Andes

IAWA Journal ◽

10.1163/22941932-40190240 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 331-S5 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Alvites ◽

G. Battipaglia ◽

G. Santopuoli ◽

H. Hampel ◽

R.F. Vázquez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Rings ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Southern Oscillation ◽

Ring Width ◽

Vapour Pressure Deficit ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

Sources Of Information

ABSTRACTRelict tree species in the Andean mountains are important sources of information about climate variability and climate change. This study deals with dendroclimatology and growth patterns in Polylepis reticulata Hieron., growing at high elevation (mean of 4000 m a.s.l.) in three sites of the Ecuadorian Andes. The aims of the research were: (i) characterizing tree-ring boundaries; (ii) describing tree-ring patterns of the study sites; (iii) investigating the relationships between climate and radial tree growth; and (iv) determining the spatial correlation between seasonal climatic factors and tree-ring width of P. reticulata. Tree rings were characterized by semi-ring porosity and slight differences in fibre wall thickness between latewood and subsequent earlywood. In all sampling sites, tree rings in heartwood were more clearly visible than in sapwood. Tree-ring width was more related to temperature than to precipitation, with growth being also affected by site conditions and stand structure, as well as other local factors. No significant relationships were found between tree-ring chronologies of P. reticulata and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Vapour Pressure Deficit indices. The study highlights that there is not a clear driving climate factor for radial growth of P. reticulata. Additional research is needed to study growth dynamics of this species and the impacts of local environmental variables.

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Timeline of Leaf and Cambial Phenology in Relation to Development of Initial Conduits in Xylem and Phloem in Three Coexisting Sub-Mediterranean Deciduous Tree Species

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11101104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1104

Author(s):

Jožica Gričar ◽

Andreja Vedenik ◽

Gregor Skoberne ◽

Polona Hafner ◽

Peter Prislan

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Leaf Development ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Secondary Growth ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Deciduous Tree ◽

Cambial Cell ◽

Cell Production ◽

Sieve Tubes ◽

Earlywood Vessels

It is unclear how the anticipated climate change will affect the timing of phenology of different tree organs/tissues and thus the whole-tree functioning. We examined the timing of leaf phenology and secondary growth in three coexisting deciduous tree species (Quercus pubescens Willd., Fraxinus ornus L. and Ostrya carpinifolia Scop) from a sub-Mediterranean region in 2019. In addition, we investigated the relationship between leaf and cambial phenology and the onset of the potential functioning of initial conduits, as determined by the completed differentiation process (vessels) or final size (sieve tubes). For this purpose, leaf development was monitored and the microcores of cambium and the youngest phloem and xylem increments were repeatedly collected at 7–10-day intervals during the growing season. The results revealed differences in the timing of leaf development and seasonal radial growth patterns in spring among the studied tree species, depending on wood porosity. We found that cambial cell production started in all cases in the first half of March. However, in ring-porous Q. pubescens and F. ornus, radial growth in the stem occurred more than a month before buds were swollen, whereas in diffuse-porous O. carpinifolia, these two events were detected at almost the same time. The end of cambial cell production occurred earliest in F. ornus (mid-July) and two weeks later also in the other two species. The widest initial earlywood vessels and early phloem sieve tubes were found in Q. pubescens, the narrowest initial earlywood vessels in O. carpinifolia and the narrowest early phloem sieve tubes in F. ornus. This indicates differences in the efficiency of conducting systems among the studied species. This novel approach of studying phloem phenology and anatomy in relation to leaf and xylem development contributes to a better understanding of how different tree species adapt their structure of secondary vascular tissues in response to environmental change.

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Dynamics of mixed lowland forests in Central Bohemia over a 20-year period

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/6/2020-jfs ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 66 (No. 2) ◽

pp. 49-62

Author(s):

Anna Prokůpková

Keyword(s):

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

European Beech ◽

Quercus Petraea ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Ecological Stability ◽

Diameter Increment ◽

Lower Productivity ◽

Lowland Forests

The paper deals with the effect of environmental factors and management on various mixed lowland forests in the Medník National Natural Monument, Czech Republic, over a 20-year period. The objectives were to evaluate the structure, production, dynamics and radial growth in relation to climatic conditions in the mixed hornbeam-oak, herb-rich beech and spruce forest stands. The tree density decreased by 8.5% (to 120–1,364 trees·ha–1), while stand volume increased by 28.0% (to 244–767 m3·ha–1) from 1998 to 2018. Large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos Scop.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./ Karst.) showed high variability and sensitivity to climatic factors in radial growth compared to stability and resistance in sessile oak (Quercus petraea /Matt./ Liebl.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). April, June and July were determined as the most significant months in relation to diameter increment. The synergism of precipitation deficit and high air temperature was a limiting factor of growth in the studied lowland area. The frequency of negative pointer years with extremely low radial growth has been increasing recently. Generally, hornbeam-oak stands are characterized by rich structure, high density and lower productivity, herb-rich beech stands represent rich structured productive forests and spruce forests are very productive stands but with low ecological stability.

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Radial Growth Patterns Associated with Tree Mortality in Nothofagus pumilio Forest

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10060489 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 489 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Milagros Rodríguez-Catón ◽

Ricardo Villalba ◽

Ana Srur ◽

A. Park Williams

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Forest Dynamics ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Severe Drought ◽

Nothofagus Pumilio ◽

Total Size ◽

Growth Trends

Tree mortality is a key process in forest dynamics. Despite decades of effort to understand this process, many uncertainties remain. South American broadleaf species are particularly under-represented in global studies on mortality and forest dynamics. We sampled monospecific broadleaf Nothofagus pumilio forests in northern Patagonia to predict tree mortality based on stem growth. Live or dead conditions in N. pumilio trees can be predicted with high accuracy using growth rate as an explanatory variable in logistic models. In Paso Córdova (CO), Argentina, where the models were calibrated, the probability of death was a strong negative function of radial growth, particularly during the six years prior to death. In addition, negative growth trends during 30 to 45 years prior to death increased the accuracy of the models. The CO site was affected by an extreme drought during the summer 1978–1979, triggering negative trends in radial growth of many trees. Individuals showing below-average and persistent negative trends in radial growth are more likely to die than those showing high growth rates and positive growth trends in recent decades, indicating the key role of droughts in inducing mortality. The models calibrated at the CO site showed high verification skill by accurately predicting tree mortality at two independent sites 76 and 141 km away. Models based on relative growth rates showed the highest and most balanced accuracy for both live and dead individuals. Thus, the death of individuals across different N. pumilio sites was largely determined by the growth rate relative to the total size of the individuals. Our findings highlight episodic severe drought as a triggering mechanism for growth decline and eventual death for N. pumilio, similar to results found previously for several other species around the globe. In the coming decades, many forests globally will be exposed to more frequent and/or severe episodes of reduced warm-season soil moisture. Tree-ring studies such as this one can aid prediction of future changes in forest productivity, mortality, and composition.

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