IMPACT OF DROUGHT AND SITE CHARACTERISTICS ON VITALITY AND RADIAL GROWTH OF CEDRUS ATLANTICA MANETTI IN THE OUARSENIS MASSIF (ALGERIA)

This work investigates the impact of drought and site characteristics on vitality and radial growth of Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica Manetti) in Ouarsenis cedar forests (Algeria). The choice of this zone was dictated by the appearance of the phenomenon of decline since the 1980s and the lack of study on this subject. Our hypothesis seeks to understand how climatic factors interacted with site characteristics affected radial growth and vitality of Atlas cedar. We used the dendroecological approach where 09 populations of Atlas cedar distributed on the two cedars of Ouarsenis (Theniet El Had and Ain Antar) and covering a varied range of environmental conditions (substrate, altitude, exposure) were studied. The climatic signal recorded in ring-width series of Atlas cedar trees was investigated by bootstrapped response function over the period 1936-2010. The results show a good agreement between the individual curves and those of mean site chronologies, which reflects the influence of climatic factors on tree radial growth. Atlas cedar is very sensitive to rainfall fluctuations throughout the year. This sensitivity is more pronounced for populations located at low altitude, on steep slopes and on sand stone or marl substrates. The dry years induced a significant radial growth decline and triggered massive tree mortality, particularly in 1983, 1984, 1988, 1994 and 2002. The vitality of the species seems to be conditioned by the frequency of drought years.

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The impact of drought on tree growth in Mediterranean sites

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-8635 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Giovanna Battipaglia ◽

Francesco Niccoli ◽

Arturo Pacheco-Solana

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Tree Growth ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Ring Width ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Individual Tree ◽

Annual Growth Rings ◽

The Impact

Climate-induced forest mortality is a critical issue in the Mediterranean basin, with major consequences for the functioning of these key ecosystems. Indeed, in Mediterranean ecosystems, where water stress is already the most limiting factor for tree performance, climatic changes are expected to entail an increase in water deficit. In this context, annual growth rings can provide short- (e.g., years) and long-term (e.g., decades) information on how trees respond to drought events. With climate change, Pinus pinaster and Pinus pinea L. are expected to reduce their distribution range in the region, being displaced at low altitudes by more drought tolerant taxa such as sub Mediterranean Quercus spp.This study aims was to assess the physiological response of Pinus and Quercus species growing in the Vesuvio National park, located in Southern Italy and where an increase of temperature and drought events has been recorded in the recent years. Our preliminary results underlined the importance of temperature on the tree ring width of all the analyses species. The high temperatures can cause a change in the constant kinetics of the RuBisCo, leading to a consequent decrease in carboxylation rate and thus to a reduction in tree growth. On the other hand, also precipitation seemed to affect the growth of the sampled trees: indeed, in all the chronologies a reduction in growth was found after particular dry years: for example, the low rainfall in 1999 (455 mm/year) determined a drastic decline in growth in 2000 in all the species. In addition to the climatic factors, competition can also play an important role in the growth rate: dendrochronological analyzes have highlighted how stand specific properties (i.e. density, structure and composition) can influence individual tree responses to drought events. The knowledge of those researches should be integrated into sustainable forest management strategies to minimize the potential impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems.

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Responses of Larix principis-rupprechtii Radial Growth to Climatic Factors at Different Elevations on Guancen Mountain, North-Central China

Forests ◽

10.3390/f13010099 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 99

Author(s):

Jiachuan Wang ◽

Shuheng Li ◽

Yili Guo ◽

Qi Yang ◽

Rui Ren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Coniferous Forest ◽

Ring Width ◽

Central China ◽

Summer Drought ◽

Climate Trends

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.

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The Research of the Radial Growth of the Flora Species Which Do Not Have Special Protection on the South Hillsides of Greater Caucasus

JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN NATURAL SCIENCES ◽

10.24297/jns.v7i.8616 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Prof. RAE. Z.H. Aliyev

Keyword(s):

Tree Rings ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Castanea Sativa ◽

Maximum Growth ◽

Greater Caucasus ◽

Castanea Sativa Mill ◽

Alnus Subcordata ◽

The Impact ◽

Special Protection

The radial growth of the trunks of the following flora species which do not have special protection on the southern hillsides of Greater Caucasus was studied in the article: Georgioan oak- Quercus iberica M.Bieb Common hornbeam - Caprinus betulus L. Common chestnut - Castanea sativa Mill. Black walnut - Juglans nigra L., Heart leaved alder - Alnus subcordata C.A.Mey. During the dendrochronological analyses, the dynamics of growth over the years were analysed based on the distances between the tree rings. The impact of the climatic factors on the growth of the trees was analysed and the ages of tree species were investigated. Based on the dendrochronological historical application, according to the numbers of tree rings, the ages of the trees were defined in the studied species. According to the numbers of tree rings, the oldest type of the rare and scanty flora types which have no special protection was identified as Caprinus betulus L. in the Zagatala region. The tree was taken from Zagatala district, planted in 1944, was 75 years old and had 330 cm diameter. The observation of dendrochronological researches indicates the formation of a new microclimate. It was observed that in the investigated species, radial growth was more intense during matureness, then it was weakened with age. In the comparative analysis, it was observed that the minimum radial growth was in 2010 and 2015, and the maximum growth was between 1973 and 1985 in the Zagatala region

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Differential effects of Douglas-fir tussock moth and western spruce budworm defoliation on radial growth of grand fir and Douglas-fir

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x79-016 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 95-105 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Linda B. Brubaker ◽

Shannon K. Greene

Keyword(s):

Host Species ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Ring Width ◽

Spruce Budworm ◽

Douglas Fir ◽

Western Spruce Budworm ◽

Tussock Moth ◽

Rate Of Growth ◽

Growth Loss ◽

The Impact

This study compares the effects of separate Douglas-fir tussock moth (Orgiapseudotsugata McDunnough) and western spruce budworm (Choristoneuraoccidentalis Freeman) infestations on the radial growth of two host species, grand fir (Abiesgrandis (Doug.) Lindl.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco). Growth records from nonhost species were also examined to substantiate that growth reduction in the hosts resulted from feeding by the respective defoliators. Ring-width data, standardized to remove trends of decreasing width from pith to bark, were tested statistically to identify significant differences in the effects of each defoliator on each host species. Four measures of radial growth were examined: maximum rate of growth decline, average rate of growth recovery, 1-year growth loss, and 5-year growth loss. The effects of tussock moth did not differ statistically between host species, but the impact of budworm defoliation on grand fir was significantly greater than on Douglas-fir. Differences occurred between the overall effects of tussock moth and budworm on the host species, with tussock moth causing significantly more rapid growth reductions and greater growth losses than budworm. It is concluded that (1) grand fir and Douglas-fir ring patterns, individually or in combination, can provide good evidence of severe defoliation by Douglas-fir tussock moth, (2) grand fir ring patterns can be used to identify severe defoliation by western spruce budworm, and (3) Douglas-fir ring patterns can provide evidence of budworm infestation only if corroborative evidence of a budworm infestation is present in the ring patterns of grand fir trees in the same stand.

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The long-term effects of climatic factors on radial growth of downy birch (Betula pubescens) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) in East Iceland

Icelandic Agricultural Sciences ◽

10.16886/ias.2020.07 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 73-87

Author(s):

Nandini Hannak ◽

Ólafur Eggertsson

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ring Width ◽

Betula Pubescens ◽

Past Century ◽

Monthly Precipitation ◽

Sorbus Aucuparia ◽

The Past ◽

Downy Birch

The aim of this study was to investigate the tree-ring growth of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) in Ranaskógur, a forest in East Iceland, and to determine its response to climate factors during the past century. Tree-core samples were collected in September 2018 and from those a tree-ring width (TRW) chronology and a standardized tree-ring index (TRI) chronology were produced. A statistical analysis between the chronologies and monthly mean temperatures and total monthly precipitation was carried out. The study found that both species had similar radial growth during the past century. The growth of birch responded significantly positively to June and July temperatures, while rowan responded significantly positively to July and August temperatures. The growth of neither species was significantly affected by precipitation across the whole period. However, in the 1940s to early 1960s, rowan growth correlated significantly with June precipitation, and birch with April and May precipitation.

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Comparing statistical and mechanistic models to identify the drivers of mortality within a rear-edge beech population

10.1101/645747 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cathleen Petit-Cailleux ◽

Hendrik Davi ◽

François Lefèvre ◽

Joseph Garrigue ◽

Jean-André Magdalou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Mortality ◽

European Beech ◽

Temporal Variations ◽

Individual Variability ◽

Rear Edge ◽

Individual Vulnerability ◽

Individual Probability ◽

Crown Defoliation ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

AbstractSince several studies have been reporting an increase in the decline of forests, a major issue in ecology is to better understand and predict tree mortality. The interactions between the different factors and the physiological processes giving rise tree mortality, as well as the inter-individual variability in mortality risk, still need to be better assessed.This study investigates mortality in a rear-edge population of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) using a combination of statistical and process-based modelling approaches. Based on a survey of 4323 adult beeches since 2002 within a natural reserve, we first used statistical models to quantify the effects of competition, tree growth, size, defoliation and fungi presence on mortality. Secondly, we used an ecophysiological process-based model (PBM) to separate out the different mechanisms giving rise to temporal and inter-individual variations in mortality by simulating depletion of carbon stocks, loss of hydraulic conductance and damage due to late frosts in response to climate.The combination of all these simulated processes was associated with the temporal variations in the population mortality rate. The individual probability of mortality decreased with increasing mean growth, and increased with increasing crown defoliation, earliness of budburst, fungi presence and increasing competition, in the statistical model. Moreover, the interaction between tree size and defoliation was significant, indicating a stronger increase in mortality associated to defoliation in smaller than larger trees. Finally, the PBM predicted a higher conductance loss together with a higher level of carbon reserves for trees with earlier budburst, while the ability to defoliate the crown was found to limit the impact of hydraulic stress at the expense of the accumulation of carbon reserves.We discuss the convergences and divergences obtained between statistical and process-based approaches and we highlight the importance of combining them to characterize the different processes underlying mortality, and the factors modulating individual vulnerability to mortality.

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Norway spruce responses to drought forcing in area affected by forest decline

Forest Systems ◽

10.5424/fs/2019283-14868 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. e016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Petr Čermák ◽

Tomáš Kolář ◽

Tomáš Žid ◽

Miroslav Trnka ◽

Michal Rybníček

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Ring Width ◽

Crown Condition ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Forest Plans ◽

The Impact ◽

Forest Species Composition ◽

Previous Autumn

Aim of study: To assess the crown condition and radial growth of Norway spruce on plots with an increasing frequency and strength of drought during the last decades.Area of the study: Northern Moravia, Czech Republic.Material and methods: Crown condition assessment and dendrochronology analysis were used.Main results: Tree-ring width was significantly influenced mainly by previous autumn and current summer climate. Temporal variability of growth-climate relationship shows that the impact of water sufficiency (precipitation, relative soil water content, drought index) markedly increased mainly during the 2000s and the 2010s. Most of climate-growth relationships were significant only in the last two or three decades. The observed crown condition and their relationships with TRW also indicate stress intensification during the same period. Our results suggest that the water availability was the main factor affecting radial growth, occurrence of negative pointer years and probably also the factor triggering the decline.Research highlights: In these current site and climate conditions, silviculture of Norway spruce is extremely risky in the study area. Our results have also shown that the observed climate change is too dynamic for the long-term forest plans, especially as regards their recommended forest species composition.

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Climatic signals in tree-ring width and stable isotopes composition of Pinus sylvestris L. Growing in the industrialized area nearby Kędzierzyn-Koźle

Geochronometria ◽

10.1515/geochr-2015-0070 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 240-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Barbara Sensuła ◽

Sławomir Wilczyński

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotopes ◽

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Tree Rings ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ring Width ◽

Spectrometric Analysis ◽

Tree Ring Width ◽

The Impact

Abstract The main aims of these studies were dendrochronological and mass spectrometric analysis of the impact of climate on tree rings width and stable isotopes composition in pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The conifers were growing in the vicinity of chemical and nitrogen factories in Kędzierzyn-Koźle (Poland) in the period of time from 1920s to 2012 AD. The combined usage of tree ring width and isotopic composition data provides historic records of the environment changes. These data allows identifying the behavior adaptation of pine growing under pollution stress to climate changes. The incremental rhythm of the studied pine populations was not identical, probably due to their different sensitivities to some climatic factors. This study evidences that the isotopic records in tree-rings α-cellulose may be sensitive bio-indicators of the way that the components of air and water may be changed by the trees in response to the climate changes and anthropogenic effects. The water use efficiency may be strongly correlated with variability of the surface temperature that may be due to increase of CO2 emission.

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The effect of climatic factors on the radial growth of Japanese ash in northern Hokkaido, Japan

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x26-231 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 2052-2055 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

K. Yasue ◽

R. Funada ◽

T. Kondo ◽

O. Kobayashi ◽

K. Fukazawa

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ring Width ◽

Growing Season ◽

Ring Network ◽

Autoregressive Modeling ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

The Relationship ◽

Residual Chronology

The influence of climate on the radial growth of Japanese ash (Fraxinusmandshurica Rupr. var. japonica Maxim.) in northern Hokkaido, Japan, was investigated. Fifteen trees were selected and ring widths were measured. Standardization and autoregressive modeling were applied to the series of ring widths for isolation of the climatic signal. A response function was calculated for the relationship between residual chronology and monthly temperature and precipitation. In the season that preceded the growth, December precipitation is negatively correlated with ring width. During the growing season, May temperature is negatively correlated with ring width, while both temperature and precipitation in July are positively correlated with ring width. The results reveal the potential usefulness of Japanese ash for reconstruction of past climate in Hokkaido. The chronology of Japanese ash contributes to a development of a tree-ring network in Japan that is still sparse.

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Climatic factors affecting radial growth of Betula ermanii and Betula platypylla in Kamchatka

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x09-179 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 273-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Jiri Doležal ◽

Hiroaki Ishii ◽

Tomáš Kyncl ◽

Koichi Takahashi ◽

Valentina P. Vetrova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radial Growth ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Ring Width ◽

Kamchatka Peninsula ◽

High Elevation ◽

Winter Precipitation ◽

Growth Responses ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Betula Ermanii ◽

The Pacific

Radial growth responses to climate were studied in two species of birch broadly distributed across Kamchatka Peninsula. Wood cores were obtained in different locations and environments, from upper to lower treelines, and from wet maritime sites at the Pacific to the subcontinental interior of the peninsula. Response functions were calculated using the four longest meteorological records (1920s–2000) in Kamchatka. In Betula ermanii Cham., the dominant species in mountains and maritime woodlands, ring width in high-elevation (500–600 m) trees increased with warm and less rainy June and July and decreased with rainy/snowy cool weather during the prior September and October. Radial growth in B. ermanii low-elevation trees increased with higher winter precipitation, suggesting that water from melting snow prevents water stress and possibly desiccation in low-elevation trees. In Betula platyphylla Sukaczev, a common taiga species in interior Kamchatka, low summer temperatures limited growth at its upper distributional limit (300–350 m) and in cool, wet sites dominated by Picea ajanensis Lindl. et Gord. On drier sites dominated by Larix cajanderii Mayr., growth was limited by warm April and dry June weather. Variable responses along elevation–continentality gradients reinforce the necessity of a site-dependent differentiation for the assessment of impacts of climate change on species performance and geographic range shifts.

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