The growth responses of Araucaria angustifolia to climate are adjusted both spatially and temporally at its northern distribution limit

Abstract

Temporal instability and spatial inconsistency in tree growth sensitivity to climate have been reported, but little attention has been given to tropical species. Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze. (Araucariaceae) is a critically endangered South American subtropical and tropical conifer. It offers the potential to evaluate alterations in tree growth responses as it is climate-sensitive and presents a core zone of distribution in the Brazilian meridional highlands (with small disjunct patches occurring in its most southern and northern ranges). Previous dendrochronological studies in the central and most southern distribution range of A. angustifolia showed different climate-related growth responses, which raises the question of whether the growth responses of A. angustifolia to climate are consistent over space and stable over time at the species' northern distribution limit? We developed well-replicated tree-ring chronologies for A. angustifolia at the species' northern distribution limit, examined its growth dynamics, and evaluated climate-growth relationships. The growth patterns of A. angustifolia allowed the synchronization of its tree ring time-series and the construction of two tree-ring width chronologies (at Brejo da Lapa – BL and Vale das Araucárias – VA) of 55 years and 171 years respectively. The chronologies demonstrated stable and robust signal strengths. Climate-growth response analyses indicated significant positive correlations of the VA chronology with precipitation variables, and with temperature variables in the BL chronology. Different diametric growth patterns were detected between BL and VA. We observed consistent reductions of growth responses to the climate in recent decades. Forest structure and dynamics, disturbance regime, local environmental factors, and climate change could generate physiological alterations and explain variations in A. angustifolia’s growth responses and increments. The species showed different sensitivities to climatic factors both spatially and temporally, and different growth patterns at its northern distribution limit.