Reconstructions of annual summer precipitation and temperature in north-central China since 1470 AD based on drought/flood index and tree-ring records

AbstractMay-June (MJ) and April-July (AJ) precipitation at Huashan in north-central China has been reconstructed for the period A.D. 1600 to 1988 using tree-ring density and width fromPinus armandii. MJ precipitation (based on ring width and maximum latewood density) calibrated and cross-validated against local instrumental data more strongly than AJ precipitation (based only on ring width). A major drought was reconstructed for the mid- and late 1920s, confirmed by local documentary sources. This drought (culminating in 1929) was the most severe of the 389-yr period for MJ and second most severe for AJ, after an event ending in 1683. Neither reconstruction shows much spectral power at frequencies lower than 1 in 10 yr, but both show concentrations of power between 2.1 and 2.7 yr and 3.5 to 9 yr. There are significant correlations between the two reconstructions and a regional dryness/wetness index (DW) based on documentary sources, particularly at high frequencies. These correlations are focused in the 7.6- to 7.3-, 3.8- to 3.6-, and 2.5-yr periods. Using singular spectrum analysis, quasiperiodic behavior with a period close to 7.2 yr was identified in the MJ precipitation reconstruction and in the DW index based on documents.

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Tree growth and its association with climate between individual tree-ring series at three mountain ranges in north central China

Dendrochronologia ◽

10.1016/j.dendro.2011.04.003 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 113-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Keyan Fang ◽

Xiaohua Gou ◽

Fahu Chen ◽

Yingjun Li ◽

Fen Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Central China ◽

Individual Tree ◽

North Central ◽

Mountain Ranges

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VARIATION OF RADIAL GROWTH PATTERNS IN TREES ALONG THREE ALTITUDINAL TRANSECTS IN NORTH CENTRAL CHINA

IAWA Journal ◽

10.1163/22941932-90000231 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 443-457 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Keyan Fang ◽

Xiaohua Gou ◽

Delphis F. Levia ◽

Jinbao Li ◽

Fen Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Frequency Band ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Ring Width ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Central China ◽

Altitudinal Gradients ◽

North Central ◽

Temperature And Precipitation

Fourteen tree-ring width chronologies were developed along three altitudinal gradients for three mountain ranges in arid north central China. The chronology statistics, combined with results of a rotated principle component analysis (RPCA), suggest that physiological gradients play a more important role in determining tree-growth patterns than altitudinal gradients. As indicated by climate-growth relationships, temperature is mainly related to the low-frequency tree-ring variability, while precipitation is more influential on the high-frequency tree-ring variability. At the low-frequency band, chronologies across species from lower and upper forest limits were generally well correlated, except at the upper site of the Xinglong Mountain. It is plausible that similar temperature-shaped climate-growth relationships in the low-frequency domain may lead to similar growth patterns at this frequency band. Regarding the differing results for the Xinglong Mountain, our interpretation is that the changed growth patterns resulted from the varying climate-growth correlation patterns along the larger altitudinal gradients. The temperature and precipitation limitations for tree growth decrease along the increasing altitudinal gradients.

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