On the ‘Divergence Problem’ in the Alatau Mountains, Central Asia: A Study of the Responses of Schrenk Spruce Tree-Ring Width to Climate under the Recent Warming and Wetting Trend

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.

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Development of tree-ring width chronologies and tree-growth response to climate in the mountains surrounding the Issyk-Kul Lake, Central Asia

Dendrochronologia ◽

10.1016/j.dendro.2014.03.002 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 230-236 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Tongwen Zhang ◽

Yujiang Yuan ◽

Qing He ◽

Wenshou Wei ◽

Mamatkanov Diushen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Growth Response ◽

Ring Width ◽

Tree Ring Width

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Tree growth across the Nepal Himalaya during the last four centuries

Progress in Physical Geography Earth and Environment ◽

10.1177/0309133317714247 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 478-495 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

UK Thapa ◽

S St. George ◽

DK Kharal ◽

NP Gaire

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Ring Width ◽

High Elevation ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

Early 19Th Century ◽

Tree Ring Data ◽

Instrumental Records

The climate of Nepal has changed rapidly over the recent decades, but most instrumental records of weather and hydrology only extend back to the 1980s. Tree rings can provide a longer perspective on recent environmental changes, and since the early 2000s, a new round of field initiatives by international researchers and Nepali scientists have more than doubled the size of the country’s tree-ring network. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of the current tree-ring width network for Nepal, and use this network to estimate changes in forest growth nation-wide during the last four centuries. Ring-width chronologies in Nepal have been developed from 11 tree species, and half of the records span at least 290 years. The Nepal tree-ring width network provides a robust estimate of annual forest growth over roughly the last four centuries, but prior to this point, our mean ring-width composite fluctuates wildly due to low sample replication. Over the last four centuries, two major events are prominent in the all-Nepal composite: (i) a prolonged and widespread growth suppression during the early 1800s; and (ii) heightened growth during the most recent decade. The early 19th century decline in tree growth coincides with two major Indonesian eruptions, and suggests that short-term disturbances related to climate extremes can exert a lasting influence on the vigor of Nepal’s forests. Growth increases since AD 2000 are mainly apparent in high-elevation fir, which may be a consequence of the observed trend towards warmer temperatures, particularly during winter. This synthesis effort should be useful to establish baselines for tree-ring data in Nepal and provide a broader context to evaluate the sensitivity or behavior of this proxy in the central Himalayas.

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Entwicklung klimasensitiver Wachstumsfunktionen für das Szenariomodell «Massimo»

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2015.0389 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 166 (6) ◽

pp. 389-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brigitte Rohner ◽

Esther Thürig

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Tree Species ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Climate Variables ◽

Individual Tree ◽

Climate Effects ◽

Growth Functions ◽

Tree Ring Data ◽

Scenario Model

Development of climate-dependent growth functions for the scenario model “Massimo” Tree growth is substantially influenced by climatic factors. In the face of climate change, climate effects should therefore be included in estimations of Switzerland's future forest productivity. In order to include climate effects in the growth functions of the “Massimo” model, which is typically applied to project forest resources in Switzerland, we statistically modelled climate effects on tree growth representatively for Switzerland by simultaneously considering further growth-influencing factors. First, we used tree ring data to evaluate how climate variables should be defined. This analyses showed that for modelling multi-year tree growth we should use averages of whole-year variables. Second, we fitted nonlinear mixed-effects models separately for the main tree species to individual-tree growth data from the Swiss National Forest Inventory. In these models, we combined climate variables defined according to the results of the tree ring study with various further variables that characterize sites, stands and individual trees. The quantified effects were generally plausible and explained convincingly the physiological differences between the species. The statistical growth models for the main tree species will now be included in the forest scenario model “Massimo”. This will allow for founded analyses of scenarios which assume changing climatic conditions.

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Different Wood Anatomical and Growth Responses in European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) at Three Forest Sites in Slovenia

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.669229 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Domen Arnič ◽

Jožica Gričar ◽

Jernej Jevšenak ◽

Gregor Božič ◽

Georg von Arx ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ring Width ◽

European Beech ◽

Growing Season ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

Vessel Area ◽

Temperature And Precipitation

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.

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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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A 3585-YEAR RING-WIDTH DATING CHRONOLOGY OF QILIAN JUNIPER FROM THE NORTHEASTERN QINGHAI-TIBETAN PLATEAU

IAWA Journal ◽

10.1163/22941932-90000226 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 379-394 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Xuemei Shao ◽

Shuzhi Wang ◽

Haifeng Zhu ◽

Yan Xu ◽

Eryuan Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Species ◽

Qaidam Basin ◽

Ring Width ◽

Northwestern China ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

Living Tree ◽

Qilian Juniper

This article documents the development of a precisely dated and wellreplicated long regional tree-ring width dating chronology for Qilian juniper (Juniperus przewalskii Kom.) from the northeastern Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau. It involves specimens from 22 archeological sites, 24 living tree sites, and 5 standing snags sites in the eastern and northeastern Qaidam Basin, northwestern China. The specimens were cross-dated successfully among different groups of samples and among different sites. Based on a total of 1438 series from 713 trees, the chronology covers 3585 years and is the longest chronology by far in China. Comparisons with chronologies of the same tree species about 200 km apart suggest that this chronology can serve for dating purposes in a region larger than the study area. This study demonstrates the great potential of Qilian juniper for dendrochronological research.

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Climatic factors controlling reproduction and growth of Norway spruce in southern Norway

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x01-192 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 217-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

Vidar Selås ◽

Gianluca Piovesan ◽

Jonathan M Adams ◽

Mauro Bernabei

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Seed Production ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Ring Width ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

Late Spring Frost ◽

Southern Norway ◽

June July

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: JuneJuly mean temperature and August lowest temperature in the previous year, late spring frost and JuneJuly precipitation of the last 2 years, and JanuaryFebruary 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.

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Assimilation of Pseudo-Tree-Ring-Width observations into an Atmospheric General Circulation Model

10.5194/cp-2016-92 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Walter Acevedo ◽

Bijan Fallah ◽

Sebastian Reich ◽

Ulrich Cubasch

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Growth ◽

General Circulation ◽

Climate Model ◽

Global Climate Model ◽

Ring Width ◽

Circulation Model ◽

Forward Model ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Tree Ring Width

Abstract. We investigate the assimilation of Tree-Ring-Width (TRW) chronologies into an atmospheric global climate model using Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) techniques and a process-based tree-growth forward model as observation operator. Our results, within a perfect-model experiment setting, indicate that the non-linear response of tree-growth to surface temperature and soil moisture does deteriorate the operation of the time-averaged (EnKF) methodology. Moreover, this skill loss appeared significantly sensitive to the structure of growth rate function, used to represent the Principle of Limiting Factors (PLF)s within the forward model. On the other hand, it was observed that the error reduction achieved by assimilating a particular pseudo-TRW chronology is modulated by the strength of the yearly internal variability of the model at the chronology site. This result might help the dendrochronology community to optimize their sampling efforts. In our experiments, the ''online'' (with cycling) paleao Data Assimilation (DA) approach did not outperform the ''offline'' (no-cycling) one, despite its considerable additional implementation complexity.

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