Abstract
Urban tree growth is often affected by reduced water availability, higher temperatures, small and compacted planting pits, as well as high nutrient and pollution inputs. Despite these hindering growth conditions, recent studies found a surprisingly better growth of urban trees compared to trees at rural sites, and an enhanced growth of trees in recent times. We compared urban versus rural growing Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Mast.) trees in Sapporo, northern Japan and analyzed the growth differences between growing sites and the effects of environmental pollution (NO2, NOX, SO2 and OX) on tree growth. Tree growth was assessed by a dendrochronological study across a gradient from urban to rural sites and related to high detailed environmental pollution data with mixed model approaches and regression analyses. A higher growth of urban trees compared to rural trees was found, along with an overall accelerated growth rate of A. sachalinensis trees over time. Moreover, environmental pollution seems to positively affect tree growth, though with the exception of oxides OX which had strong negative correlations with growth. In conclusion, higher temperatures, changed soil nutrient status, higher risks of water-logging, increased oxide concentrations, as well as higher age negatively affected the growth of rural trees. The future growth of urban A. sachalinensis will provide more insights as to whether the results were induced by environmental pollution and climate or biased on a higher age of rural trees. Nevertheless, the results clearly indicate that environmental pollution, especially in terms of NO2 and NOX poses no threat to urban tree growth in Sapporo.
Highlights
The effects of air pollution and climate change on tree growth have been discussed ambiguously over the past decades
Piovesan, et al [19] found for Fagus sylvatica L. stands in Italy, a basal area increment (BAI) decrease of 15%–20% [19], while Pretzsch, Biber, Schütze, Uhl and Rötzer [16]
The according tree characteristics dbh, cd, cpa, crown length and cv were greatest at both plots as well
Summary
The effects of air pollution and climate change on tree growth have been discussed ambiguously over the past decades. While several studies clearly link tree and forest damage with sensitivity to air and environmental pollution [1,2,3,4,5,6], some studies named unfavorable climatic conditions with limited soil water availability [4,7], aggravated soil compaction, nutrient imbalances [8,9], and pests and disease infestation, as well as management errors as reasons for tree growth decline in forests [1,3,10,11]. Forests 2019, 10, 707 availability might counteract these positive effects of climate change, shorten the growing season due to early leaf shed and reduce growth of trees [18]. Such contrasting findings have even been reported for single tree species. Piovesan, et al [19] found for Fagus sylvatica L. stands in Italy, a basal area increment (BAI) decrease of 15%–20% [19], while Pretzsch, Biber, Schütze, Uhl and Rötzer [16]
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