A Method for Reconstructing the Past Soil Temperature Based on Tree-Ring Widths

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-402
Author(s):  
Shuai Yuan ◽  
Yonghong Zheng ◽  
Yongdong Qi ◽  
Fanxi Kong ◽  
Dan Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Soil temperature can affect tree growth and is one of the most important types of basic data for forest cultivation and management. To obtain a long-term time series of soil temperatures, we explored the utility of dendroclimatology in a subtropical area of China. In this study, the relations between tree-ring-width chronologies and climate factors were explored by correlation analysis. The results indicated that the limiting climatic factors for the radial growth of Huangshan pine were elevation-specific. Further investigation found that chronology at high elevations was significantly correlated with soil temperature. Then, we described a reconstruction of the soil temperatures of the Dabie Mountains area using the tree-ring width chronology from 1869 to 2015 and showed that the reconstruction explained 42.9 percent of the instrumental soil temperature variation in the common years. We found that the 1970s and 2000s were the coldest and warmest decades since 1884, respectively. The results of the reconstruction method for describing past soil temperatures can provide a reference for other subtropical forests. Furthermore, the results of our research also have a certain significance for guiding policymaking related to forest cultivation and management.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domen Arnič ◽  
Jožica Gričar ◽  
Jernej Jevšenak ◽  
Gregor Božič ◽  
Georg von Arx ◽  
...  

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) adapts to local growing conditions to enhance its performance. In response to variations in climatic conditions, beech trees adjust leaf phenology, cambial phenology, and wood formation patterns, which result in different tree-ring widths (TRWs) and wood anatomy. Chronologies of tree ring width and vessel features [i.e., mean vessel area (MVA), vessel density (VD), and relative conductive area (RCTA)] were produced for the 1960–2016 period for three sites that differ in climatic regimes and spring leaf phenology (two early- and one late-flushing populations). These data were used to investigate long-term relationships between climatic conditions and anatomical features of four quarters of tree-rings at annual and intra-annual scales. In addition, we investigated how TRW and vessel features adjust in response to extreme weather events (i.e., summer drought). We found significant differences in TRW, VD, and RCTA among the selected sites. Precipitation and maximum temperature before and during the growing season were the most important climatic factors affecting TRW and vessel characteristics. We confirmed differences in climate-growth relationships between the selected sites, late flushing beech population at Idrija showing the least pronounced response to climate. MVA was the only vessel trait that showed no relationship with TRW or other vessel features. The relationship between MVA and climatic factors evaluated at intra-annual scale indicated that vessel area in the first quarter of tree-ring were mainly influenced by climatic conditions in the previous growing season, while vessel area in the second to fourth quarters of tree ring width was mainly influenced by maximum temperature and precipitation in the current growing season. When comparing wet and dry years, beech from all sites showed a similar response, with reduced TRW and changes in intra-annual variation in vessel area. Our findings suggest that changes in temperature and precipitation regimes as predicted by most climate change scenarios will affect tree-ring increments and wood structure in beech, yet the response between sites or populations may differ.


IAWA Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-S5 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Alvites ◽  
G. Battipaglia ◽  
G. Santopuoli ◽  
H. Hampel ◽  
R.F. Vázquez ◽  
...  

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.


2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidar Selås ◽  
Gianluca Piovesan ◽  
Jonathan M Adams ◽  
Mauro Bernabei

Time series of seed production and tree-ring width of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in southern Norway were analysed for their relationship to various climatic factors occurring during "key" stages, which a priori might be expected to show a strong climate response. The following factors combined in a multiple linear regression model were found to predict seed production (based on withheld data points) with considerable accuracy, at high levels of statistical significance: June–July mean temperature and August lowest temperature in the previous year, late spring frost and June–July precipitation of the last 2 years, and January–February lowest temperature in the current year. Tree ring width was negatively correlated with the seed production index of the current year and the lowest July temperature in the previous year and positively correlated with June-July precipitation in the current year. It is suggested that habitat constraints for seedling establishment should also be considered in a more general life-history cost theory to explain masting behaviour in forest trees.


ARCTIC ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne L Strong

A tree-ring analysis of 764 western white spruce (Picea albertiana) in the Takhini Valley of southwest Yukon was conducted to assess short- and long-term variation in growth and local climate. The resulting chronology spanned the period from AD 1763 to 2013. A polynomial regression (R = 0.720, p < 0.001) indicated that the pre-1840 segment of the chronology had below-normal tree ring-width index (RWI) values (average 0.64, with modest variation), but the subsequent segment had greater variation and a steady increase in RWI values (average 0.89) until ~1920. After 1930, RWI values began to increase again (average 1.06) with 51% more variation than had previously occurred. Peak RWI values after 1930 were double those of the early 1800s. RWI values were uncorrelated with air temperature variables (except September minima), but weakly and positively correlated (r < 0.35) with precipitation variables. RWI values were moderately correlated with annual heat-moisture index values (r = −0.415, p < 0.001), although more strongly with RWI values less than 1.1 (R = −0.631, p < 0.001). Therefore, the RWI chronology was interpreted from an ecological moisture-balance perspective, with possible long-term temperature changes estimated from archival sources. The latter suggested a 2.1˚ – 3.1˚C rise since the early 1800s. Extreme RWI values and portions of the chronology were associated with known environmental events.


Silva Fennica ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberts Matisons ◽  
Jānis Jansons ◽  
Juris Katrevičs ◽  
Āris Jansons

Forests ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Jiachuan Wang ◽  
Shuheng Li ◽  
Yili Guo ◽  
Qi Yang ◽  
Rui Ren ◽  
...  

Larix principis-rupprechtii is an important afforestation tree species in the North China alpine coniferous forest belt. Studying the correlations and response relationships between Larix principis-rupprechtii radial growth and climatic factors at different elevations is helpful for understanding the growth trends of L. principis-rupprechtiind its long-term sensitivity and adaptability to climate change. Pearson correlation, redundancy (RDA), and sliding analysis were performed to study the correlations and dynamic relationships between radial growth and climatic factors. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) The three-elevation standard chronologies all exhibited high characteristic values, contained rich climate information and were suitable for tree-ring climatological analyses. (2) Both temperature and precipitation restricted low-elevation L. principis-rupprechtii radial growth, while monthly maximum temperatures mainly affected mid-high-elevation L. principis-rupprechtii radial growth. (3) Mid-elevation L. principis-rupprechtii radial growth responded to climate factors with a “lag effect” and was not restricted by spring and early summer drought. (4) Long-term sliding analysis showed that spring temperatures and winter precipitation were the main climatic factors restricting L. principis-rupprechtii growth under warming and drying climate trends at different elevations. The tree-ring width index and Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) were positively correlated, indicating that L. principis-rupprechtii growth is somewhat restricted by drought. These results provide a reference and guidance for L. principis-rupprechtii management and sustainable development in different regions under warming and drying background climate trends.


Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhang ◽  
Zhang ◽  
Jiang ◽  
Bagila ◽  
Ainur ◽  
...  

The divergence problem, which manifests as an unstable response relationship between tree-ring growth and climatic factors under the background of global warming, poses a challenge to both the traditional theory of dendroclimatology and the reliability of climatic reconstructions based on tree-ring data. Although Schrenk spruce, as the dominant tree species in the Tianshan Mountains, is frequently applied in the dendrochronological studies, the understanding of the divergence problem of this tree species is still limited. This study conducted correlation analysis between climatic factors and tree-ring width chronologies from 51 living and healthy specimens of Schrenk spruce at sites of high and low elevation in the Alatau Mountains to determine the stability of the response. The results revealed that the tree-ring width of the spruce specimens was correlated positively with precipitation and correlated negatively with temperature. Although the variations of the two tree-ring chronologies were similar, the radial growth of the spruce at the low elevation was found more sensitive to climatic factors. Furthermore, the sensitivity of tree growth to climate demonstrated an obvious increase after an abrupt change of climate under the background of the recent warming and wetting trend. Increased drought stress, calculated based on climatic data, was regarded as the main reason for this phenomenon. The results supply the gap of the stability of climatic response of tree growth in Central Asia to some extent.


Silva Fennica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silva Šēnhofa ◽  
Mārtiņš Zeps ◽  
Roberts Matisons ◽  
Jānis Smilga ◽  
Dagnija Lazdiņa ◽  
...  

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 577
Author(s):  
Weiwei Lu ◽  
Xinxiao Yu ◽  
Guodong Jia

Long-term tree growth is significantly affected by climate change, which have become a global concern. Tree-ring width and isotopic information can show how trees respond to climate change on a long-term scale and reveal some phenomena of tree decline or death. In this study, we used isotopic techniques and investigated annual changes in carbon isotope composition and tree-ring width of Populus simonii Carr. in Zhangbei, as well as trends in tree-ring carbon discrimination (Δ13C) and iWUE in normal, mildly declining and severely declining trees, in order to make a retrospective analysis and further understand the process of tree decline. We found that there were significant differences (p < 0.01 **) in δ13C, Δ13C, ci and iWUE at different decline stages, meaning that the δ13C and iWUE could be new indicators of tree health. The iWUE of all groups increased significantly, while the growth rate of declined P. simonii was much higher than that of normal growth P. simonii. According to the analysis, there may be a threshold of iWUE for healthy trees, which once the threshold value is exceeded, it indicates that trees are resistant to adversity and their growth is under stress. Similarly, the changing trend of BAI supports our conclusion with its changes showed that tree growth became slower and slower as degradation progressed. iWUE inferred from tree-ring stable carbon isotope composition is a strong modulator of adaptation capacity in response to environmental stressors under climate change. Elevated annual temperatures and increased groundwater depth are all contributing to the decline of P. simonii in north China.


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