Different radial growth responses to climate warming by two dominant tree species at their upper altitudinal limit on Changbai Mountain

Abstract

We analyzed the influence of climate change over the past 50 years on the radial growth of two tree species: Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis), located on Changbai Mountain, Northeast China, using a dendrochronology approach to understand factors that limit the altitude for tree species. Elevated temperatures increased the radial growth of Korean pine and decreased that of Yezo spruce. The positive response of tree growth to hydrothermal conditions was the key reason that the upper limit of elevation of Korean pine followed the temperature fluctuation pattern. Increased temperatures and precipitation and longer growing seasons accelerated Korean pine growth. As the temperature increased, correlations between Korean pine ring-width chronology and precipitation changed from negative to positive. In Yezo spruce, increasing monthly temperatures and inadequate precipitation during the middle and late parts of the growing season led to narrow growth rings, whereas decreasing monthly temperatures and sufficient precipitation during the late growing season promoted growth. Rising temperatures and adequate precipitation increases Korean pine growth, possibly elevating the upper range limit in altitude for this species. In contrast, Yezo spruce growth is negatively affected by warming temperatures and limited precipitation. Under future temperature increases and precipitation fluctuations, the upper limit altitude of Korean pine can reasonably be expected to shift upward and Yezo spruce downward.