Wood-trait analysis to understand climatic factors triggering intra-annual density-fluctuations in co-occurring Mediterranean trees

IAWA Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Balzano ◽  
Giovanna Battipaglia ◽  
Veronica De Micco

ABSTRACTMediterranean trees and shrubs form intra-annual density fluctuations (IADFs) in tree rings as a sign of their plasticity in wood formation in response to intraseasonal variations of environmental conditions. Different species show a different aptitude to form IADFs, due to their diverse ability to cope with climate stressors, since the occurrence of IADFs may affect plant hydraulics. Dendroecology and quantitative wood anatomy were used to characterise IADFs in Pinus pinea and Arbutus unedo co-occurring at a Mediterranean site in Italy. The relations between climate parameters (i.e. temperature and precipitation) and intra-annual tree-ring traits (i. e. IADF frequency and conduit size) were analysed to highlight the main triggers for IADF formation and their functional role.Data showed that both species are characterised by a high plastic response to climate and formed a high frequency of L-IADFs (occurrence of earlywoodlike conduits in latewood). The two species, although forming the same type of IADFs, showed different sensitivity to environmental factors. Pinus pinea showed a high dependence of tracheid size on temperature, while Arbutus unedo was more sensitive to precipitation in spring and autumn. Arbutus unedo promptly developed more than one IADF per year in response to rainfall events following drought periods.The overall results were useful to compare the aptitude of the two species in forming IADFs and to highlight the factors priming their formation. This is useful to understand wood growth reactions to environmental drivers and to evaluate the adaptive capabilities in these two species, and thus to predict forest reactions after climate changes.

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 334
Author(s):  
Norbert Szymański ◽  
Sławomir Wilczyński

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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 873-883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubén Manso ◽  
Marta Pardos ◽  
Rafael Calama

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Yuan ◽  
Yongqiang Wang ◽  
Jijun Xu ◽  
Zhiguang Wu

AbstractThe ecosystem of the Source Region of Yangtze River (SRYR) is highly susceptible to climate change. In this study, the spatial–temporal variation of NPP from 2000 to 2014 was analyzed, using outputs of Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach model. Then the correlation characteristics of NPP and climatic factors were evaluated. The results indicate that: (1) The average NPP in the SRYR is 100.0 gC/m2 from 2000 to 2014, and it shows an increasing trend from northwest to southeast. The responses of NPP to altitude varied among the regions with the altitude below 3500 m, between 3500 to 4500 m and above 4500 m, which could be attributed to the altitude associated variations of climatic factors and vegetation types; (2) The total NPP of SRYR increased by 0.18 TgC per year in the context of the warmer and wetter climate during 2000–2014. The NPP was significantly and positively correlated with annual temperature and precipitation at interannual time scales. Temperature in February, March, May and September make greater contribution to NPP than that in other months. And precipitation in July played a more crucial role in influencing NPP than that in other months; (3) Climatic factors caused the NPP to increase in most of the SRYR. Impacts of human activities were concentrated mainly in downstream region and is the primary reason for declines in NPP.


2021 ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Halina A. Kamyshenka

The results of a statistical assessment of the influence of changing weather and climatic conditions of the territory of Belarus on the productivity of the main winter cereal crops are presented in order to build computational models of productivity. The calculations were made with respect to the climatic component as a predictor, taking into account the deviations of air temperature and precipitation from the long-term climatic norm of months that have the most significant effect on the yield of the studied crops. For winter rye and wheat, adequate models of yield variability have been built. The research results are relevant for solving forecasting problems.


Author(s):  
Roshan Kumar Mehta ◽  
Shree Chandra Shah

The increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere is widely believed to be causing climate change. It affects agriculture, forestry, human health, biodiversity, and snow cover and aquatic life. Changes in climatic factors like temperature, solar radiation and precipitation have potential to influence agrobiodiversity and its production. An average of 0.04°C/ year and 0.82 mm/year rise in annual average maximum temperature and precipitation respectively from 1975 to 2006 has been recorded in Nepal. Frequent droughts, rise in temperature, shortening of the monsoon season with high intensity rainfall, severe floods, landslides and mixed effects on agricultural biodiversity have been experienced in Nepal due to climatic changes. A survey done in the Chitwan District reveals that lowering of the groundwater table decreases production and that farmers are attracted to grow less water consuming crops during water scarce season. The groundwater table in the study area has lowered nearly one meter from that of 15 years ago as experienced by the farmers. Traditional varieties of rice have been replaced in the last 10 years by modern varieties, and by agricultural crops which demand more water for cultivation. The application of groundwater for irrigation has increased the cost of production and caused severe negative impacts on marginal crop production and agro-biodiversity. It is timely that suitable adaptive measures are identified in order to make Nepalese agriculture more resistant to the adverse impacts of climate change, especially those caused by erratic weather patterns such as the ones experienced recently.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hn.v11i1.7206 Hydro Nepal Special Issue: Conference Proceedings 2012 pp.59-63


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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1929) ◽  
pp. 20200358
Author(s):  
Junfeng Tang ◽  
Ronald R. Swaisgood ◽  
Megan A. Owen ◽  
Xuzhe Zhao ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
...  

Climate change is one of the most pervasive threats to biodiversity globally, yet the influence of climate relative to other drivers of species depletion and range contraction remain difficult to disentangle. Here, we examine climatic and non-climatic correlates of giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) distribution using a large-scale 30 year dataset to evaluate whether a changing climate has already influenced panda distribution. We document several climatic patterns, including increasing temperatures, and alterations to seasonal temperature and precipitation. We found that while climatic factors were the most influential predictors of panda distribution, their importance diminished over time, while landscape variables have become relatively more influential. We conclude that the panda's distribution has been influenced by changing climate, but conservation intervention to manage habitat is working to increasingly offset these negative consequences.


1987 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 123-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. R. Santos ◽  
J. F. S. Oliveira

Nitrogen transformations that can occur in WSP depend on pond and waste characteristics and are also influenced by climatic factors, like temperature and precipitation. Experiments described have been carried out using a system of three ponds in series: anaerobic, facultative and maturation, treating domestic sewage. In this paper we aim to identify the processes that might contribute to N transformations in each pond and the seasonal variations in the removal of nitrogen and its bioconversion throughout the year. Results have proved that there was an important organic N removal in the anaerobic pond, mainly due to mineralisation and not exclusively by sedimentation. Some of the processes of N transformation observed in the ponds were more strongly influenced by weather conditions than others. In some cases, the increase of biological activity that was induced by the increase in air temperature, was masked by reduced precipitation which produced less diluted treated effluents. These climatic factors can explain some of the variations observed along the year, in what concerns nitrogen compounds concentrations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9276
Author(s):  
Ha Kyung Lee ◽  
So Jeong Lee ◽  
Min Kyung Kim ◽  
Sang Don Lee

Information on the phenological shift of plants can be used to detect climate change and predict changes in the ecosystem. In this study, the changes in first flowering dates (FFDs) of the plum tree (Prunus mume), Korean forsythia (Forsythia koreana), Korean rosebay (Rhododendron mucronulatum), cherry tree (Prunus yedoensis), and peach tree (Prunus persica) in Korea during 1920–2019 were investigated. In addition, the changes in the climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) and their relationship with the FFDs were analyzed. The changes in the temperature and precipitation during the January–February–March period and the phenological shifts of all research species during 1920–2019 indicate that warm and dry spring weather advances the FFDs. Moreover, the temperature has a greater impact on this phenological shift than precipitation. Earlier flowering species are more likely to advance their FFDs than later flowering species. Hence, the temporal asynchrony among plant species will become worse with climate change. In addition, the FFDs in 2100 were predicted based on representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios. The difference between the predicted FFDs of the RCP 4.5 and RCP 6.0 for 2100 was significant; the effectiveness of greenhouse gas policies will presumably determine the degree of the plant phenological shift in the future. Furthermore, we presented the predicted FFDs for 2100.


Radiocarbon ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 567-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Högne Jungner ◽  
Eloni Sonninen ◽  
Göran Possnert ◽  
Kimmo Tolonen

We used moss increment counting to obtain well-defined samples of the topmost peat layers of two Sphagnum fuscum hummocks. The two ombrotrophic bogs, Lakkasuo in central Finland and Korvinsuo in eastern Finland, are of different ages, covering 3 and 9 ka, respectively. Using AMS dating, we traced bomb-produced 14C through the topmost parts of the two peat profiles. A well-defined 14C activity peak was found in both sequences dating the corresponding layer to ad 1965. A comparison between the maximum peat activities and the corresponding atmospheric values for the period of interest provides an opportunity to evaluate the amount of CO2 emanating from the decaying peat bog, and taken up by the living sphagnum plants.Considerable variations in δ13C values were also observed. These variations indicate, at least partly, annual variations in the emission rate of CO2 from decomposition of older peat in the bog, and are connected with climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document