The Impact of Climate Change on Betula tortuosa Ledeb. Radial Increment on the Eastern Macroslope of Kuznetsk Alatau

Il’Ya A Petrov,Alexey S Golyukov,Alexandr S Shushpanov,Viacheslav Kharuk,N.N Lashinsky,N.I Makunina

doi:10.1051/bioconf/20191600025

Il’Ya A Petrov, Alexey S Golyukov + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20191600025

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Abstract

The climatic response of birch in eastern Kuznetzky Alatau Mountains (Siberia) were analysed based on dendrochronology data. Studied climate variables included temperature, precipitation and root zone moisture (RZM). Periods with maximal correlations for each variable were found. It was established that radial increment was limited by June temperature and July RZM. Correlations of radial increment and ecoclimatic factors were higher when a negative anomalies of respective factor occurred. To estimate the advancement rate of birch trees along elevation gradient, three elevational transects were laid in mountain forest-tundra ecotone. Estimated advancement rate is about 0.5 m per year. Although temperature have a stimulating effect on birch’s radial increment and advancement on elevation gradient in Kuznetzky Alatau Mountains, some depressions in radial increment corresponds to years with soil moisture decrease.

Highlights

Climate change has a multidirectional effect on forest ecosystems
The observed temperature increase mainly has a stimulating effect on the radial increment and the advancement of trees along the elevation gradient [1, 2, 3]
Significant correlations coincide with periods of June temperature negative anomalies

Summary

Introduction

Climate change has a multidirectional effect on forest ecosystems. At treeline, the observed temperature increase mainly has a stimulating effect on the radial increment and the advancement of trees along the elevation gradient [1, 2, 3]. Aridization of the climate at lower elevations, caused by an increase in temperature, leads to a massive decline of dark coniferous forests [4]. Under such conditions, ecotones (transition zones between different types of vegetation) are the most sensitive areas to climatic impacts. The reaction of birch (Betula tortuosa Ledeb.) trees to climatic changes in the mountain forest-tundra ecotone of the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountains is of great interest because in the Altai-Sayan region communities with birch are unique objects [6]. Our work aimed to analyse the effects of recent climate change on the birch (Betula tortuosa Ledeb.) trees

Materials and methods

Results

Findings