Climate–growth relationship of tree species from a mixed stand of Apuseni Mts., Romania

Abstract

We present the first results of a dendroecological investigation on three prevailing species growing in the Apuseni Mountains. In this study we succeeded in building up about 200-year long local master chronologies for spruce, fir and beech. These chronologies will serve as a reference for crossdating of (sub-fossil) logs that were preserved in ice caves at the Apuseni Mts. The analysis of climate–growth relationship provided interesting and different results for the three studied species: we found significant correlations between the beech chronology and the mean temperature of the prior July, autumn and January of the actual year as well as the weather conditions at the beginning of the vegetation period. Conifers yielded coherent results for the mean temperature of prior July and sum of precipitation in April. In addition, fir seems to be favouring above-average temperatures in January and February. The coherent and significant correlations with the April precipitation suggest a common coniferous phenomenon. Finally, beech index showed negative correlation with April temperature.