scholarly journals Dendroclimatology in Fennoscandia – from past accomplishments to future potential

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. W. Linderholm ◽  
J. A. Björklund ◽  
K. Seftigen ◽  
B. E. Gunnarson ◽  
H. Grudd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns ◽  
Northern Fennoscandia ◽  
Finnish Lapland ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Tree Ring Data

Abstract. Fennoscandia has a strong tradition in dendrochronology, and its large tracts of boreal forest make the region well suited for the development of tree-ring chronologies that extend back several thousands of years. Two of the world's longest continuous (most tree-ring chronologies are annually resolved) tree-ring width chronologies are found in northern Fennoscandia, with records from Torneträsk and Finnish Lapland covering the last ca. 7500 yr. In addition, several chronologies between coastal Norway and the interior of Finland extend back several centuries. Tree-ring data from Fennoscandia have provided important information on regional climate variability during the mid to late Holocene and have played major roles in the reconstruction of hemispheric and global temperatures. Tree-ring data from the region have also been used to reconstruct large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns, regional precipitation and drought. Such information is imperative when trying to reach better understanding of natural climate change and variability and its forcing mechanisms, and placing recent climate change within a long-term context.

scholarly journals Using Tree Rings to Predict the Response of Tree Growth to Climate Change in the Continental United States during the Twenty-First Century

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Park Williams ◽  
Joel Michaelsen ◽  
Steven W. Leavitt ◽  
Christopher J. Still
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
First Century ◽  
Annual Growth ◽  
Climate Variations ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Twenty First Century

Abstract In the early 1900s, tree-ring scientists began analyzing the relative widths of annual growth rings preserved in the cross sections of trees to infer past climate variations. Now, many ring-width index (RWI) chronologies, each representing a specific site and species, are archived online within the International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB). Comparing annual tree-ring-width data from 1097 sites in the continental United States to climate data, the authors quantitatively evaluated how trees at each site have historically responded to interannual climate variations. For each site, they developed a climate-driven statistical growth equation that uses regional climate variables to model RWI values. The authors applied these growth models to predict how tree growth will respond to twenty-first-century climate change, considering four climate projections. Although caution should be taken when extrapolating past relationships with climate into the future, the authors observed several clear and interesting patterns in the growth projections that seem likely if warming continues. Most notably, the models project that productivity of dominant tree species in the southwestern United States will decrease substantially during this century, especially in warmer and drier areas. In the northwest, nonlinear growth relationships with temperature may lead to warming-induced declines in growth for many trees that historically responded positively to warmer temperatures. This work takes advantage of the unmatched temporal length and spatial breath of annual growth data available within the ITRDB and exemplifies the potential of this ever-growing archive of tree-ring data to serve in meta-analyses of large-scale forest ecology.

scholarly journals The 600-mm precipitation isoline distinguishes tree-ring-width responses to climate in China

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Liu ◽  
Huiming Song ◽  
Changfeng Sun ◽  
Yi Song ◽  
Qiufang Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Drought Severity ◽  
Climate Variations ◽  
Tree Ring Width ◽  
Past Climate ◽  
Tree Ring Data

AbstractThe numerous temperature and precipitation reconstructions in China based on tree-ring-width data have played significant roles in furthering the understanding of past climate changes. However, the geographical variability in the responses of trees to climate variations in China remains largely undetermined. Here, we describe an important spatial boundary in the response of trees to climate variations, namely the 600-mm annual precipitation isoline. We found that, to the north of this line, tree-ring widths are usually positively correlated with precipitation and negatively correlated with growing-season temperature. To the south of this line, the tree-ring widths respond positively to temperature, and winter half-year temperatures are the main reconstructed parameters, especially on the third topographical step of China. We also found that precipitation reconstructions based on tree-ring data and the Palmer Drought Severity Index almost exclusively fall in the region of the 200- to 600-mm annual precipitation isolines, not other regions. Our findings indicate that, when using multiple tree-ring-width chronologies for large-scale past climate reconstructions, the climatic signal of each tree-ring-width series should be carefully considered.

scholarly journals Relating ring width of Mediterranean evergreen species to seasonal and annual variations of precipitation and temperature

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 1141-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Nijland ◽  
E. Jansma ◽  
E. A. Addink ◽  
M. Domínguez Delmás ◽  
S. M. De Jong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Monthly Precipitation ◽  
Evergreen Species ◽  
Mediterranean Landscapes ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Precipitation And Temperature

Abstract. Plant growth in Mediterranean landscapes is limited by the typical summer-dry climate. Forests in these areas are only marginally productive and may be quite susceptible to modern climate change. To improve our understanding of forest sensitivity to annual and seasonal climatic variability, we use tree-ring measurements of two Mediterranean evergreen tree species: Quercus ilex L. and Arbutus unedo L. We sampled 34 stems of these species on three different types of substrates in the Peyne study area in southern France. The resulting chronologies were analysed in combination with 38 yr of monthly precipitation and temperature data to reconstruct the response of stem growth to climatic variability. Results indicate a strong positive response to May and June precipitation, as well as a significant positive influence of early-spring temperatures and a negative growth response to summer heat. Comparison of the data with more detailed productivity measurements in two contrasting years confirms these observations and shows a strong productivity limiting effect of low early-summer precipitation. The results show that tree-ring data from Q.ilex and A.unedo can provide valuable information about the response of these tree species to climate variability, improving our ability to predict the effects of climate change in Mediterranean ecosystems.

scholarly journals Dendroclimatology in Fennoscandia – from past accomplishments to future potentials

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1415-1461 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. W. Linderholm ◽  
J. A. Björklund ◽  
K. Seftigen ◽  
B. E. Gunnarson ◽  
I. Drobyshev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Large Scale Circulation ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Circulation Patterns ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
The World ◽  
Strong Gradient

Abstract. Dendroclimatology, i.e. using tree-ring data to reconstruct past climates, in Fennoscandia has a strong tradition. Due to the high-latitude location of the region, trees are sensitive to climate; in general to temperatures during summer. However, a strong gradient from the oceanic west to the continental east, makes it possible to find trees that respond to other parameters, such as precipitation and drought. Situated in a sparsely populated part of the Boreal belt, Fennoscandia with its large areas of old-growth forests is suitable for constructing tree-ring chronologies reaching far back in time. Indeed, some of the world longest tree-ring chronologies are found in the region, covering all, or most of, the Holocene. In addition to providing valuable information about regional climate variability during the Holocene, tree-ring data have played significant roles in recent reconstructions of hemispheric and global temperatures as well as large-scale circulation patterns. Here we review the field of dendroclimatology in Fennoscandia, showing the wealth of climate information obtained from various tree-ring parameters (ring widths, density and stable isotopes), and look in to future possibilities.

scholarly journals A palaeotemperature record for the Finnish Lakeland based on microdensitometric variations in tree rings

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuli Helama ◽  
Matti Vartiainen ◽  
Jari Holopainen ◽  
Hanna Mäkelä ◽  
Taneli Kolström ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Maunder Minimum ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Crop Failure ◽  
Northern Fennoscandia ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Instrumental Temperature

Abstract X-ray based tree-ring data of maximum latewood densities (MXD) was combined for south-eastern Finland. This data originated from subfossil and modern pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) materials comprising a continuous dendroclimatic record over the past millennium. Calibrating and verifying the MXD chronologies against the instrumental temperature data showed a promising opportunity to reconstruct warm-season (May through September) temperature variability. A new palaeotemperature record correlated statistically significantly with the long instrumental temperature records in the region and adjacent areas since the 1740s. Comparisons with tree-ring based (MXD and tree-ring width) reconstructions from northern Fennoscandia and northern Finland exhibited consistent summer temperature variations through the Medieval Climate Anomaly, Little Ice Age, and the 20th century warmth. A culmination of the LIA cooling during the early 18th century appeared consistently with the Maunder Minimum, when the solar activity was drastically reduced. A number of coolest reconstructed events between AD 1407 and 1902 were coeval to years of crop failure and famine as documented in the agro-historical chronicles. Results indicate an encouraging possibility of warm-season temperature reconstructions using middle/south boreal tree-ring archives to detail and enhance the understanding of past interactions between humans, ecosystems and the earth.

scholarly journals Spatial Upscaling of Tree-Ring-Based Forest Response to Drought with Satellite Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 2344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peipei Xu ◽  
Wei Fang ◽  
Tao Zhou ◽  
Xiang Zhao ◽  
Hui Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
Satellite Data ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Time Windows ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Continuous Measure ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

We have integrated the observational capability of satellite remote sensing with plot-scale tree-ring data to upscale the evaluation of forest responses to drought. Satellite data, such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), can provide a spatially continuous measure with limited temporal coverage, while tree-ring width index (RWI) provides an accurate assessment with a much longer time series at local scales. Here, we explored the relationship between RWI and NDVI of three dominant species in the Southwestern United States (SWUS) and predicted RWI spatial distribution from 2001 to 2017 based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 1-km resolution NDVI data with stringent quality control. We detected the optimum time windows (around June–August) during which the RWI and NDVI were most closely correlated for each species, when the canopy growth had the greatest effect on growth of tree trunks. Then, using our upscaling algorithm of NDVI-based RWI, we were able to detect the significant impact of droughts in 2002 and in 2011–2014, which supported the validity of this algorithm in quantifying forest response to drought on a large scale.

scholarly journals Relating ring width of Mediterranean evergreen species to seasonal and annual variations of precipitation and temperature

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 355-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Nijland ◽  
E. Jansma ◽  
E. A. Addink ◽  
M. Domínguez Delmás ◽  
S. M. De Jong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Monthly Precipitation ◽  
Evergreen Species ◽  
Mediterranean Landscapes ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Precipitation And Temperature

Abstract. Plant growth in Mediterranean landscapes is limited by the typical summer-dry climate. Forests in these areas are only marginally productive and may be quite susceptible to modern climate change. To improve our understanding of forest sensitivity to annual and seasonal climatic variability, we use tree-ring measurements of two Mediterranean evergreen tree species: Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo. We sampled 34 stems of these species on three different types of substrates in the Peyne study area in Southern France. The resulting chronologies were analysed in combination with 38 years of monthly precipitation and temperature data to reconstruct the response of stem growth to climatic variability. Results indicate a strong positive response to May and June precipitation, as well as a significant positive influence of early-spring temperatures and a negative growth response to summer heat. Comparison of the data with more detailed productivity measurements in two contrasting years confirms these observations and shows a strong productivity limiting effect of low early-summer precipitation. The results show that tree-ring data from Q. ilex and A. unedo can provide valuable information about the response of these tree species to climate variability, improving our ability to predict the effects of climate change in Mediterranean ecosystems.

Tree growth across the Nepal Himalaya during the last four centuries

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-495 ◽  
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.

Developing a triple tree-ring constraint for tree growth and physiology in a global land surface model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Barichivich ◽  
Philippe Peylin ◽  
Valérie Daux ◽  
Camille Risi ◽  
Jina Jeong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Land Surface Model ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Growth Variability ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Surface Models ◽  
Global Land

<p>Gradual anthropogenic warming and parallel changes in the major global biogeochemical cycles are slowly pushing forest ecosystems into novel growing conditions, with uncertain consequences for ecosystem dynamics and climate. Short-term forest responses (i.e., years to a decade) to global change factors are relatively well understood and skilfully simulated by land surface models (LSMs). However, confidence on model projections weaken towards longer time scales and to the future, mainly because the long-term responses (i.e., decade to century) of these models remain unconstrained. This issue limits confidence on climate model projections. Annually-resolved tree-ring records, extending back to pre-industrial conditions, have the potential to constrain model responses at interannual to centennial time scales. Here, we constrain the representation of tree growth and physiology in the ORCHIDEE global land surface model using the simulated interannual variability of tree-ring width and carbon (Δ<sup>13</sup>C) and oxygen (δ<sup>18</sup>O) stable isotopes in six sites in boreal and temperate Europe.  The model simulates Δ<sup>13</sup>C (r = 0.31-0.80) and δ<sup>18</sup>O (r = 0.36-0.74) variability better than tree-ring width variability (r < 0.55), with an overall skill similar to that of other state-of-the-art models such as MAIDENiso and LPX-Bern. These results show that growth variability is not well represented, and that the parameterization of leaf-level physiological responses to drought stress in the temperate region can be improved with tree-ring data. The representation of carbon storage and remobilization dynamics is critical to improve the realism of simulated growth variability, temporal carrying over and recovery of forest ecosystems after climate extremes. The simulated physiological response to rising CO2 over the 20th century is consistent with tree-ring data in the temperate region, despite an overestimation of seasonal drought stress and stomatal control on photosynthesis. Photosynthesis correlates directly with isotopic variability, but correlations with δ<sup>18</sup>O combine physiological effects and climate variability impacts on source water signatures. The integration of tree-ring data (i.e. the triple constraint: width, Δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>18</sup>O) and land surface models as demonstrated here should contribute towards reducing current uncertainties in forest carbon and water cycling.</p>

scholarly journals Forward modelling of tree-ring width and comparison with a global network of tree-ring chronologies

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 437-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Breitenmoser ◽  
S. Brönnimann ◽  
D. Frank
Keyword(s):  
Data Assimilation ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Threshold Temperature ◽  
Tree Ring Width ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Observation Operator ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. We investigate relationships between climate and tree-ring data on a global scale using the process-based Vaganov–Shashkin Lite (VSL) forward model of tree-ring width formation. The VSL model requires as inputs only latitude, monthly mean temperature, and monthly accumulated precipitation. Hence, this simple, process-based model enables ring-width simulation at any location where monthly climate records exist. In this study, we analyse the growth response of simulated tree rings to monthly climate conditions obtained from the CRU TS3.1 data set back to 1901. Our key aims are (a) to assess the VSL model performance by examining the relations between simulated and observed growth at 2287 globally distributed sites, (b) indentify optimal growth parameters found during the model calibration, and (c) to evaluate the potential of the VSL model as an observation operator for data-assimilation-based reconstructions of climate from tree-ring width. The assessment of the growth-onset threshold temperature of approximately 4–6 °C for most sites and species using a Bayesian estimation approach complements other studies on the lower temperature limits where plant growth may be sustained. Our results suggest that the VSL model skilfully simulates site level tree-ring series in response to climate forcing for a wide range of environmental conditions and species. Spatial aggregation of the tree-ring chronologies to reduce non-climatic noise at the site level yielded notable improvements in the coherence between modelled and actual growth. The resulting distinct and coherent patterns of significant relationships between the aggregated and simulated series further demonstrate the VSL model's ability to skilfully capture the climatic signal contained in tree-ring series. Finally, we propose that the VSL model can be used as an observation operator in data assimilation approaches to reconstruct past climate.

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