Abstract
North-Central China is a region in which the air temperature has clearly increased for several decades. Picea meyeri and Larix principis-rupprechtii are the most dominant co-occurring tree species within the cold coniferous forest belt ranging vertically from 1800 m to 2800 m a.s.l. in this region. Based on a tree-ring analysis of 292 increment cores sampled from 146 trees at different elevations, this study aimed to examine if the radial growth of the two species in response to climate is similar, whether the responses are consistent along altitudinal gradients and which species might be favored in the future driven by the changing climate. The results indicated the following: (1) The two species grew in different rhythms at low and high elevation respectively; (2) Both species displayed inconsistent relationships between radial growth and climate data along altitudinal gradients. The correlation between radial growth and the monthly mean temperature in the spring or summer changed from negative at low elevation into positive at high elevation, whereas those between the radial growth and the total monthly precipitation displayed a change from positive into negative along the elevation gradient. These indicate the different influences of the horizontal climate and vertical mountainous climate on the radial growth of the two species; (3) The species-dependent different response to climate in radial growth appeared mainly in autumn of the previous year. The radial growth of L. principis-rupprechtii displayed negative responses both to temperature and to precipitation in the previous September, October or November, which was not observed in the radial growth of P. meyeri. (4) The radial growth of both species will tend to be increased at high elevation and limited at low elevation, and L. principis-rupprechtii might be more favored in the future, if the temperature keeps rising.
Highlights
The radial growth of trees is highly sensitive to changing climate factors
(4) The radial growth of both species will tend to be increased at high elevation and limited at low elevation, and L. principis-rupprechtii might be more favored in the future, if the temperature keeps rising
The results indicated that trees of these two species grew in their particular rhythms in the lowest site at low elevation in comparison to those at other sites
Summary
The radial growth of trees is highly sensitive to changing climate factors. tree-ring analysis has been applied to reconstruct past climate conditions and to detect important historical climatic events since the early twentieth century [1,2,3,4,5]. With increased interest in climate change and in its impacts on ecosystems, tree-ring analysis has received broader interest in recent years because it indicates the relationship between radial growth and climate conditions in the past and a possible response in forest dynamics to future climate change [6,7,8,9]. Some studies based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the growing season and the length of climatic growing season have demonstrated a lengthening growing season in the temperate region of China, to which the extension of spring and summer has largely contributed [11,12,13]. If the climate change in the temperate region of China occurs as described above, forests in this region will experience higher temperature, especially in the spring and summer. Analyzing the relationship between radial growth and climate will improve our understanding of how tree growth could respond to changing climate in the past, present, and future
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
