Xylem traits of peatland Scots pines reveal a complex climatic signal: A study in the Eastern Italian Alps

Abstract

Long-term climate reconstructions are frequently based on tree-ring high-resolution proxies extracted from subfossil peatland trees. Peatlands are peculiar ecosystems characterized by high moisture in the upper soil part which creates a harsh living environment for trees. The climate mostly indirectly influences tree growth determining seasonal variations in the water table level. Within this framework, the aim of this study was to investigate climate responses of trees (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing inside and outside a Southern Alpine peat bog, by using tree-ring and wood anatomical traits (e.g. tracheid number and dimension, cell-wall thickness). Our results showed differences in the xylem structure and climate signal recorded by peatland and mineral soil trees. Peatland trees were characterized by narrow rings and tracheids with thinner cell wall. Summer temperature and precipitation were the major drivers of xylem formation in peatland trees. At intra-annual level wood anatomical traits revealed a complex within-ring signal during the growing season. The multi-parameters approach together with the high-resolution gained by using tree-ring sectors allowed us to obtain new detailed information on the xylem development of peatland trees and climate drivers that influenced it.