Abstract
Key messageLong Bosnian pine chronologies from different mountains are shaped by different climatic parameters and can help identify past drought events and reconstruct landscape histories.We developed a 735-year-long Pinus heldreichii chronology from the southern distribution limit of the species, expanding the available database of long Bosnian pine chronologies. Tree-ring growth was mainly positively correlated with growing degree days (GDD: r1950–2018 = 0.476) while higher temperatures during both winter and growing season also enhanced growth (TWT: r1950–2018 = 0.361 and TGS: 0.289, respectively). Annual precipitation, during both calendar and water years, had a negative but weaker impact on annual tree growth. The newly developed chronology correlates well with chronologies developed from the neighboring mountains. The years with ring width index (RWI) lower than the average were found to correspond to cool years with dry summers. Still, the newly developed chronology was able to capture severe drought events, such as those in 1660, 1687, and 1725. Several old living trees had internal scars presumably caused by fires. Therefore, old mature trees could be used for fire history reconstruction in addition to climate reconstruction. Although the presence of lightning scars indicates an important natural agent of fire ignition, human activities associated with animal grazing could also be an underlying reason for fires in the region.
Highlights
Smolikas [t-value Baillie-Pilcher (TVBP) = 20.8 and t-value Hollstein (TVH) = 21.1; Cross-Dating Index (CDI) = 155; Gleichlaeufigkeit (Glk) = 74***], which had been previously used for hydro-climate reconstruction (Klippel et al 2018)
Providing valuable information about past climate conditions, long Bosnian pine chronologies have been increasingly used for climate reconstructions (Klippel et al 2018; Esper et al 2020, 2021)
Mavrovouni, located near the village of Metsovo in northern Greece and the southernmost limit of this species, suggests that tree population dynamics from different mountains are driven by different climatic parameters, but still help capture marker years and extreme events such as the 1660 severe drought
Summary
Development of long, well-replicated tree-ring chronologies has considerably contributed to the reconstruction of past climate (Fritts 1976; Cook and Kairiukstis 1990; Esper et al 2016, 2020), including the identification of major historical drought events (e.g. Cook et al 2010, 2015, 2016, 2020; Touchan et al 2005b, 2014a, 2014b; Morales et al 2020), and to the reconstruction of disturbances (Bergeron et al 2002) such as fires (e.g. Baisan and Swetnam 1990; Fulé et al 2008; Keane et al 2008; Christopoulou et al 2013; Molina-Terrén et al 2016; Amoroso et al 2017; Mazarzhanova et al 2017; Harley et al 2018). Trees drought events during the recent decades (Cook et al 2016; Morales et al 2020) This is becoming even more important in areas such as the Mediterranean region, identified as sensitive to climatic changes (Touchan et al 2005b; Esper et al 2020). The tree species commonly used for climate reconstruction in Greece is Pinus heldreichii Christ (Touchan et al 2005b, 2014a, 2014b; Klippel et al 2017, 2018; Esper et al 2020, 2021) since it forms very old stands, including the oldest scientifically-dated tree in Europe (Konter et al 2017; Piovesan et al 2018). Olympus as well as the northern Pindus where it forms the treeline (Brandes 2007; Vitali et al 2019)
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