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15 pages, 6301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tree Ring Blue Intensity-Based August Temperature Reconstruction for Subtropical Central China

by Yonghong Zheng and Rob Wilson

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1428; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081428 - 14 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1156

Abstract

Tree-ring blue intensity (BI) has the potential to provide information on past summer temperatures of a similar quality to that of tree-ring maximum latewood density and at a substantially reduced cost. To explore the applicability of BI in subtropical regions, the inverted BI [...] Read more.

Tree-ring blue intensity (BI) has the potential to provide information on past summer temperatures of a similar quality to that of tree-ring maximum latewood density and at a substantially reduced cost. To explore the applicability of BI in subtropical regions, the inverted BI for the earlywood, latewood, and the delta BI (DBI) parameters, together with tree-ring width of subalpine fir (Abies fargesii Franch.) in the Shennongjia area of China, were measured, and the corresponding chronologies were developed. The relationships between these chronologies and monthly precipitation, monthly mean minimum temperature, monthly mean temperature, and monthly mean maximum temperature were explored through correlation analysis. Results show that the DBI chronology is closely related to the temperature in August of the current year, indicating that BI, specifically delta BI, data are suitable for use in dendroclimatology studies in subtropical areas. The resultant mean temperature reconstruction for August, based on DBI, explains 40.8% of the temperature variance and is robustly validated using independent periods from the calibration. This pilot study not only highlights the potential of DBI for temperature reconstruction in China but also offers valuable insights into historical climate variations in the Shennongjia region. Moreover, it shows the potential for utilizing such tree-ring data from low-latitude regions to derive past climate data in subtropical warm-humid zones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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13 pages, 5416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tree-Ring Chronologies from the Upper Treeline in the Russian Altai Mountains Reveal Strong and Stable Summer Temperature Signals

by Alexander V. Kirdyanov, Alberto Arzac, Alina A. Kirdyanova, Tito Arosio, Dmitriy V. Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A. Ganyushkin, Paul N. Katjutin, Vladimir S. Myglan, Andrey N. Nazarov, Igor Y. Slyusarenko, Tatiana Bebchuk and Ulf Büntgen

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081402 - 10 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 774

Abstract

Radial tree growth at high-elevation and high-latitude sites is predominantly controlled by changes in summer temperature. This relationship is, however, expected to weaken under projected global warming, which questions the reliability of tree-ring chronologies for climate reconstructions. Here, we examined the growth–climate response [...] Read more.

Radial tree growth at high-elevation and high-latitude sites is predominantly controlled by changes in summer temperature. This relationship is, however, expected to weaken under projected global warming, which questions the reliability of tree-ring chronologies for climate reconstructions. Here, we examined the growth–climate response patterns of five tree-ring width (TRW) and maximum latewood density (MXD) chronologies of larch (Larix sibirica) from upper-treeline ecotones in the Altai Mountains, which is a key region for developing millennial-long dendroclimatic records in inner Eurasia. The TRW and MXD chronologies exhibited significant year-to-year coherency within and between the two parameters (p < 0.001). While TRW is mostly influenced by temperature changes during the first half of the growing season from June to July (r = 0.66), MXD is most strongly correlated with May–August temperatures (r = 0.73). All seasonal temperature signals are statistically significant at the 99% confidence level, temporally stable back to 1940 CE, the period with reliable instrumental measurements, and spatially representative for a vast area of inner Eurasia between northeastern Kazakhstan in the west, northern Mongolia in the east, southern Russia in the north and northwestern China in the south. Our findings demonstrate the paleoclimatic potential of TRW and especially MXD chronologies and reject any sign of the ´divergence problem´ at these high-elevation, mid-latitude larch sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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18 pages, 4421 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anomalous Warm Temperatures Recorded Using Tree Rings in the Headwater of the Jinsha River during the Little Ice Age

by Chaoling Jiang, Haoyuan Xu, Yuanhe Tong and Jinjian Li

Forests 2024, 15(6), 972; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15060972 - 31 May 2024

Viewed by 718

Abstract

As a feature of global warming, climate change has been a severe issue in the 21st century. A more comprehensive reconstruction is necessary in the climate assessment process, considering the heterogeneity of climate change scenarios across various meteorological elements and seasons. To better [...] Read more.

As a feature of global warming, climate change has been a severe issue in the 21st century. A more comprehensive reconstruction is necessary in the climate assessment process, considering the heterogeneity of climate change scenarios across various meteorological elements and seasons. To better comprehend the change in minimum temperature in winter in the Jinsha River Basin (China), we built a standard tree-ring chronology from Picea likiangensis var. balfouri and reconstructed the regional mean minimum temperature of the winter half-years from 1606 to 2016. This reconstruction provides a comprehensive overview of the changes in winter temperature over multiple centuries. During the last 411 years, the regional climate has undergone seven warm periods and six cold periods. The reconstructed temperature sensitively captures the climate warming that emerged at the end of the 20th century. Surprisingly, during 1650–1750, the lowest winter temperature within the research area was about 0.44 °C higher than that in the 20th century, which differs significantly from the concept of the “cooler” Little Ice Age during this period. This result is validated by the temperature results reconstructed from other tree-ring data from nearby areas, confirming the credibility of the reconstruction. The Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition method (EEMD) was adopted to decompose the reconstructed sequence into oscillations of different frequency domains. The decomposition results indicate that the temperature variations in this region exhibit significant periodic changes with quasi-3a, quasi-7a, 15.5-16.8a, 29.4-32.9a, and quasi-82a cycles. Factors like El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and solar activity, along with Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), may be important driving forces. To reconstruct this climate, this study integrates the results of three machine learning algorithms and traditional linear regression methods. This novel reconstruction method can provide valuable insights for related research endeavors. Furthermore, other global climate change scenarios can be explored through additional proxy reconstructions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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15 pages, 7244 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrological Variability in the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Mexico: A Watershed-Scale Analysis Using Tree-Ring Records

by José Villanueva-Díaz, Arian Correa-Díaz, Jesús Valentín Gutiérrez-García, Claudia C. Astudillo-Sánchez and Aldo R. Martínez-Sifuentes

Forests 2024, 15(5), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050826 - 8 May 2024

Viewed by 1033

Abstract

The El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (CBR) stands as a vital forested region in eastern Mexico due to its high biodiversity in flora and fauna and provision of environmental services. This study established a network of 10 ring-width chronologies of different species within the [...] Read more.

The El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (CBR) stands as a vital forested region in eastern Mexico due to its high biodiversity in flora and fauna and provision of environmental services. This study established a network of 10 ring-width chronologies of different species within the CBR and adjacent watersheds. The objective was to analyze their climatic response and reconstruct the seasonal streamflow contribution of each sub-basin to the main stream, utilizing data from a gauge network of eight hydrological stations located at strategic locations of the CBR. With chronologies ranging from 116 to 564 years, most exhibited association with the accumulated streamflow between January and June. Based on the adjusted R², Akaike Information Criteria, and Variance Inflation Factor, the stepwise regression procedure was selected among different statistical methods for developing the reconstruction model. In spite of differences in the seasonal reconstructed periods, all the species showed potential to develop hydrological reconstructions as indicated by their common response to streamflow variability, as occurred in the wet years of 1976, 1993, 2000, and 2008, and dry years of 1980, 1982, 1996, and 2011. It was found that the response of the chronologies to gauge records increased as a function of the chronologies’ interseries correlation, average mean sensitivity, and distance of the tree-ring series to the gauge station. Streamflow reconstructions at the sub-basin level allowed a better understanding of the hydroclimatic variability characterizing the CBR, but also suggested the need to increase the network of chronologies for some particular sub-basins lacking tree-ring series to improve the reconstructed models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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14 pages, 11151 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rapid Warming Exacerbates Winter Drought Stress in Trees at High-Altitude Areas in Northeast China

by Rui Zhang, Xueping Bai, Xun Tian, Zhenju Chen, Haiyue Zhang and Haiting Liu

Forests 2024, 15(3), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030565 - 20 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1078

Abstract

Against the background of global warming, trees in high-latitude and high-altitude areas are more sensitive to rapid warming. Revealing the response patterns of trees at different altitudes to rapid warming in typical alpine mountain environments can help to predict the future distribution of [...] Read more.

Against the background of global warming, trees in high-latitude and high-altitude areas are more sensitive to rapid warming. Revealing the response patterns of trees at different altitudes to rapid warming in typical alpine mountain environments can help to predict the future distribution of forests in the region and the associated changes in the timberline. This study used tree-ring width data (band sampling) from Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) along an altitudinal gradient (970–1409 m) on Oakley Mountain to establish 10 chronologies and to analyze the growth–climate response of larch to warming and altitudinal changes along a gradient. The results showed that before rapid warming, larch growth was strongly influenced mainly by precipitation in July–August, while after warming, the growth was controlled mainly by precipitation (snowfall) in winter (October–April) and showed a significant positive correlation with the SPEI in winter and a negative correlation with temperature in February–April (early spring). This indicates that the rapid warming event led to a drastic change in the water heat balance during the pre-growth period of the trees in the study area, which shifted the tree growth from being restricted by drought in the growing season before warming to being restricted by winter drought (i.e., the lagged effect of snowfall in the pre-growing season) after warming and that the trees at low altitudes suffered from more severe winter drought. In the future, as the global climate warms further, the growth of mountain larch at low altitudes (below 1200 m) will continue to decrease, and the coupling of winter snowfall and seasonal (February–April) warming will increase the upper altitude limit at which winter drought occurs for larch in the study area; additionally, larch at higher altitudes will be able to cope with this ecological process better. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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12 pages, 2259 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Tree-Ring Series of Pinus hartwegii Lindl. Taken at Ground Level Correlate to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Series

by Luis R. Montoya-Jiménez, Armando Gómez-Guerrero, Felipe J. A. Pedraza-Oropeza, Teresa M. González-Martínez and Arian Correa-Díaz

Forests 2024, 15(2), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020324 - 8 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1106

Abstract

In this work, we propose that small wood core samples (≤10 cm length), taken from 0.3 m above the soil, represent an accurate means of correlating forest growth with remote sensing data. Short-term correlations between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and tree-ring [...] Read more.

In this work, we propose that small wood core samples (≤10 cm length), taken from 0.3 m above the soil, represent an accurate means of correlating forest growth with remote sensing data. Short-term correlations between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and tree-ring components of the last three to four decades were tested, using 210 Pinus hartwegii wood cores collected at two locations, Tláloc (TLA) and Jocotitlán (JOCO) in central Mexico. The NDVI time series were generated with the Google Earth Engine (GEE) using Landsat 8 images. Also, seasonal trends in NDVI (e.g., spring, summer, autumn, winter) were analyzed through longitudinal analysis. The results showed more statistically significant dendrochronological indices in TLA than in JOCO, but both locations consistently showed an NDVI decrease in 2018 and 2020, indicating a reduction in vegetation vigor. At the two locations, the minimum and maximum NDVI occurred in April and October, respectively. Seasonal NDVI changes for spring were mainly seen at TLA with a decreasing trend, which may be related to a less defined dry season. The significant correlations (p < 0.05) between tree-ring components and the NDVI occurred in the dry season, indicating that the productivity of a given year is defined by the tree vigor shown in April and May, in the case of TLA, and between January and March, for JOCO. Although the NDVI values of JOCO were higher than those of TLA, tree growth, expressed by tree-ring indices, was lower. Our proposed field method to correlate tree-ring information and the NDVI is reliable and can be used in other coniferous forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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22 pages, 11113 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Effect of Vegetation Index Based on Multiple Tree-Ring Parameters in the Central Tianshan Mountains

by Jinghui Song, Tongwen Zhang, Yuting Fan, Yan Liu, Shulong Yu, Shengxia Jiang, Dong Guo, Tianhao Hou and Kailong Guo

Forests 2023, 14(12), 2362; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122362 - 30 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1082

Abstract

Combining tree ring data with remote sensing data can help to gain a deeper understanding of the driving factors that influence vegetation change, identify climate events that lead to vegetation change, and improve the parameters of global vegetation index reconstruction models. However, it [...] Read more.

Combining tree ring data with remote sensing data can help to gain a deeper understanding of the driving factors that influence vegetation change, identify climate events that lead to vegetation change, and improve the parameters of global vegetation index reconstruction models. However, it is currently not well understood how climate change at different elevations in the central Tianshan Mountains affects radial tree growth and the dynamics of forest canopy growth. We selected Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana) tree core samples from different elevations in the central Tianshan Mountains. We analyzed the relationships of various tree-ring parameters, including tree-ring width, maximum latewood density (MXD), and minimum earlywood density (MID) chronologies, with 1982–2012 GIMMS (Global Inventory Modelling and Mapping Studies) NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), 2001–2012 MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) NDVI, and meteorological data. (1) There were strong correlations between tree-ring width chronologies and the lowest temperatures, especially in July. Tree-ring width chronologies at higher altitudes were positively correlated with temperature; the opposite pattern was observed at lower altitudes. MID chronologies were positively correlated with July temperature in high-altitude areas and mean temperature and highest temperature from May to September in low-altitude areas, and negatively correlated with precipitation during this period. MXD chronologies were mainly negatively correlated with precipitation. MXD chronologies were mainly positively correlated with temperature in April and May. (2) The correlations between MXD chronologies at each sampling point and NDVI in each month of the growing season were strong. Both MID and MXD chronologies were negatively correlated with GIMMS NDVI in July. The overall correlations between tree-ring parameters and MODIS NDVI were stronger than the correlations between tree-ring parameters and GIMMS NDVI in high-altitude areas; the opposite pattern was observed in low-altitude areas. Drought stress may be the main factor affecting tree ring parameters and NDVI. In the future, we should combine tree ring parameters with vegetation index to investigate a larger scale of forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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20 pages, 7837 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distinct Impact of Drought on Radial Growth at Different Heights and Parts of Populus euphratica in the Oasis at the Hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert

by Anwar Abdureyim, Yue Dai, Qingdong Shi, Feng Zhang, Yanbo Wan, Haobo Shi and Lei Peng

Forests 2023, 14(12), 2338; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122338 - 29 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1136

Abstract

Warming and persistent droughts may exacerbate drought stress in water-scarce areas, thereby negatively affecting tree growth. When riparian plants in arid regions experience severe drought stress, they sacrifice non-dominant branches with less competitive sap flow to improve the sap flow of dominant branches [...] Read more.

Warming and persistent droughts may exacerbate drought stress in water-scarce areas, thereby negatively affecting tree growth. When riparian plants in arid regions experience severe drought stress, they sacrifice non-dominant branches with less competitive sap flow to improve the sap flow of dominant branches and thus ensure strong plant growth. Populus euphratica is one of the most dominant tree species in the riparian forest ecosystems of inland river basins in arid zones and is a reliable indicator of ecological change because of its diversity in growth and environment. To understand the adaptability of P. euphratica to the environment, the relationship between radial growth and meteorological factors, the growth decline and resistance of different heights and components of P. euphratica, as well as the resilience and resilience after recession were investigated. The results indicated that tree-ring width decreased gradually with increasing height and branching class of P. euphratica. Growth decreased at the bottom of the stem earlier than at the middle and top. Temperature, precipitation, and the Palmer drought index contributed to the growth at the bottom of P. euphratica, while precipitation contributed to growth at the top. The decline in the P. euphratica growth change rate was highly synchronized across heights and parts, with relatively high declines at the bottom and top. There were no significant differences in the recovery values for different heights and parts of P. euphratica, but the resistance, resilience, and relative resilience for the bottom and top were significantly lower than those for the other components, indicating vulnerability in the bottom and top of P. euphratica to drought. The relative resilience gradually decreased with the increase in branching class, and that of the secondary lateral branches at different heights was the lowest. In conclusion, the sensitivity of the top and lateral branches of P. euphratica to drought would cause the phenomenon of “breaking its arm” under drought disturbance in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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15 pages, 11899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regional Characteristics of the Climatic Response of Tree-Ring Maximum Density in the Northern Hemisphere

by Shulong Yu, Yuting Fan, Tongwen Zhang, Shengxia Jiang, Ruibo Zhang, Li Qin, Huaming Shang, Heli Zhang, Kexiang Liu and Xiaoxia Gou

Forests 2023, 14(11), 2122; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112122 - 25 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1252

Abstract

The maximum latewood density (MXD) of tree rings can reflect the temperature of the growing season, but the timing of the response differs among regions. We selected 152 maximum latewood density chronologies from the Northern Hemisphere that showed a significant response to temperature. [...] Read more.

The maximum latewood density (MXD) of tree rings can reflect the temperature of the growing season, but the timing of the response differs among regions. We selected 152 maximum latewood density chronologies from the Northern Hemisphere that showed a significant response to temperature. Based on a cluster analysis and the sensitivity of MXD to the monthly mean temperature, the chronologies were classified into six clusters. The clusters showed distinct regional characteristics, and the period and peak month of significant response of the chronologies in each cluster to temperature were different. Spatial synchronization of the MXDs revealed that the two clusters distributed in Europe showed the most consistency and the strongest response to the April–September monthly mean temperature compared with the other clusters. Temperature accounted for more than 40% of the total MXD variance in all clusters, whereas the effect of precipitation was much smaller. In addition to climatic factors, the random effect of the latitude and longitude of sampling sites, elevation, and tree species was a major factor contributing to the variance in MXD in each cluster. Latitude and longitude had the strongest influence among the three random effects, and tree species had the weakest influence, except at high latitudes. The MXD of each cluster showed sensitivity to temperature within a certain interval, with a positive linear response, and the sensitivity interval was greatest at high latitudes. Certain clusters showed a negative linear sensitivity to precipitation. The results provide a reference for studying the climatic threshold of large-scale tree-ring density formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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15 pages, 5867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Hydrocarbon Emissions from Oil and Gas Deposits on δ¹³C Variability in Pine Tree Rings from the Tatarstan Republic

by Olga V. Churakova (Sidorova), Georgii Batalin, Bulat Gareev, Gazinur Mingazov, Andrey Terekhin, Denis Tishin, Dilyara Kuzina and Danis Nurgaliev

Forests 2023, 14(10), 2093; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102093 - 18 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1255

Abstract

Human-caused anthropogenic greenhouse emissions impact the climate globally. In this pilot study, we aim to reveal the influence of hydrocarbon emissions on pine forests by applying a stable carbon isotope analysis in pine tree rings (δ¹³C_ptrw). Our study was [...] Read more.

Human-caused anthropogenic greenhouse emissions impact the climate globally. In this pilot study, we aim to reveal the influence of hydrocarbon emissions on pine forests by applying a stable carbon isotope analysis in pine tree rings (δ¹³C_ptrw). Our study was conducted in an industrial giant oil field reservoir (UVRT) and natural reserve (Raifa) sites, the Tatarstan Republic, Russia. Our results show a decreasing δ¹³C_ptrw at the UVRT site in 1943, when oil extraction started, and in 1970, when it reached maximum production. We found that the δ¹³C_ptrw from UVRT indicates developing unfavourable drier conditions and a suppressed tree growth caused by both human-induced oil and deposit infrastructures and natural processes compared to the undisturbed Raifa site. A 5-year running correlation analysis showed a significant difference between the sites in 1965 over the period of 1930 to 2021. The δ¹³C_ptrw values from Raifa are more negative compared to UVRT, which can be explained by a higher forest sensitivity to human-induced impacts. From an eco-physiological point of view, the decreasing of intercellular (c_i)-to-ambient (c_a) CO₂ concentration ratios at the leaf level and the increasing of intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) along with a decreasing of tree-ring widths at the UVRT site (1970–2021) indicate the development of drought conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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18 pages, 7859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ecological Adaptation of Two Dominant Conifer Species to Extreme Climate in the Tianshan Mountains

by Xuan Wu, Liang Jiao, Xiaoping Liu, Ruhong Xue, Changliang Qi and Dashi Du

Forests 2023, 14(7), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14071434 - 12 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1089

Abstract

With global warming, the frequency, intensity, and period of extreme climates in more areas will probably increase in the twenty first century. However, the impact of climate extremes on forest vulnerability and the mechanisms by which forests adapt to climate extremes are not [...] Read more.

With global warming, the frequency, intensity, and period of extreme climates in more areas will probably increase in the twenty first century. However, the impact of climate extremes on forest vulnerability and the mechanisms by which forests adapt to climate extremes are not clear. The eastern Tianshan Mountains, set within the arid and dry region of Central Asia, is very sensitive to climate change. In this paper, the response of Picea schrenkiana and Larix sibirica to climate fluctuations and their stability were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation based on the observation of interannual change rates of climate indexes in different periods. Additionally, their ecological adaptability to future climate change was explored by regression analysis of climate factors and a selection of master control factors using the Lasso model. We found that the climate has undergone significant changes, especially the temperature, from 1958 to 2012. Around 1985, various extreme climate indexes had obvious abrupt changes. The research results suggested that: (1) the responses of the two tree species to extreme climate changed significantly after the change in temperature; (2) Schrenk spruce was more sensitive than Siberian larch to extreme climate change; and (3) the resistance of Siberian larch was higher than that of Schrenk spruce when faced with climate disturbance events. These results indicate that extreme climate changes will significantly interfere with the trees radial growth. At the same time, scientific management and maintenance measures are taken for different extreme weather events and different tree species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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15 pages, 6449 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Daily Climatic Data Better Explain the Radial Growth of Swiss Stone Pine (Pinus cembra L.) in High-Elevation Cliffs in the Carpathians

by Katarzyna Izworska, Tomasz Zielonka, Paweł Matulewski and Elżbieta Muter

Forests 2023, 14(7), 1411; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14071411 - 11 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1440

Abstract

Information about climate–growth relationships is crucial for predicting the potential climatic impact on tree species, especially those growing on the edges of their distribution range, for instance, in high-elevation forests. This study aimed to determine changes in the relationships between tree-ring widths and [...] Read more.

Information about climate–growth relationships is crucial for predicting the potential climatic impact on tree species, especially those growing on the edges of their distribution range, for instance, in high-elevation forests. This study aimed to determine changes in the relationships between tree-ring widths and daily climatic data in high-elevation forests in the Western Carpathians over time. Climate–growth relationships were calculated to obtain the TRWI (tree-ring-width index) chronology (based on 104 trees) and day-wise aggregated data for temperature (mean, minimum, and maximum) and sums of precipitation. The radial growth of stone pine was mostly determined by the mean temperature in the period between mid-June (21st) and the beginning of July (4th) for the critical 14-day window width (r = 0.44). The negative influence of precipitation on the radial growth occurred in summer (r = −0.35) and overlapped with the period of the positive influence of temperature. Dendroclimatic studies based on daily data may define the exact periods (expressed in calendar days) that influence the radial growth of trees much better than the commonly used monthly means. This is particularly important in analysing the growth of trees at high elevations, where the climatic factor strongly limits radial growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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16 pages, 2818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differences in the Responses of Tree-Ring Stable Carbon Isotopes of L. sibirica and P. schrenkiana to Climate in the Eastern Tianshan Mountains

by Yi Jia, Guanghui Lv, Hailili Guligena, Li Qin, Zhengbing Peng, Ruxianguli Abudureheman and Ruibo Zhang

Forests 2023, 14(5), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14051032 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1341

Abstract

The eastern Tianshan Mountains are located in the arid interior of Asia, where tree growth is especially sensitive to climate. The ratio of stable carbon isotopes (δ¹³C) in the tree rings can provide information on changes in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, [...] Read more.

The eastern Tianshan Mountains are located in the arid interior of Asia, where tree growth is especially sensitive to climate. The ratio of stable carbon isotopes (δ¹³C) in the tree rings can provide information on changes in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, water availability, and physiological processes within the tree. In particular, the use of tree-ring δ¹³C values as a proxy for past atmospheric CO₂ concentrations has gained widespread acceptance. In this study, detrended stable carbon isotope chronologies (¹³C_corr) of Larix sibirica Ledeb. and Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey was established using tree-ring samples from high elevations in the eastern Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang, China. The relationships between the tree-ring ¹³C_corr and different climatic factors were explored using the correlation function and collinearity analysis. Our results demonstrate that the tree-ring δ¹³C_corr of L. sibirica is significantly and negatively correlated with precipitation and relative humidity during the growing season. The main climate factor affecting the stable carbon isotope fractionation of L. sibirica during the growing season is relative humidity during the growing season. The tree-ring δ¹³C_corr of P. schrenkiana is significantly and negatively correlated with the mean temperature, mean minimum temperature, precipitation, and vapor pressure deficit from the end of the previous growing season and throughout the current growing season, especially in summer. However, it is significantly and positively correlated with relative humidity, indicating that the relationship between the climate factors and the tree-ring stable carbon isotope fractionation of P. schrenkiana is more complex. Further analysis showed that summer temperature and summer precipitation jointly controlled the tree-ring stable carbon isotope fractionation of P. schrenkiana at a high elevation. This research has important implications for our understanding of past and future climate change, as well as for the development of effective strategies to mitigate and adapt to these changes. This study also contributed to the development of a more in-depth understanding of the effects of climate change on tree growth in extremely arid environments and provided evidence to support effective forest management in arid regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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23 pages, 5597 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The More the Merrier or the Fewer the Better Fare? Effects of Stand Density on Tree Growth and Climatic Response in a Scots Pine Plantation

by Yulia A. Kholdaenko, Elena A. Babushkina, Liliana V. Belokopytova, Dina F. Zhirnova, Nataly N. Koshurnikova, Bao Yang and Eugene A. Vaganov

Forests 2023, 14(5), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050915 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1878

Abstract

In forests, the growth and productivity of individual trees and stands as a whole are regulated by stand density among other factors, because access to vital resources is limited by competition between trees. On 18 experimental plots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris [...] Read more.

In forests, the growth and productivity of individual trees and stands as a whole are regulated by stand density among other factors, because access to vital resources is limited by competition between trees. On 18 experimental plots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) planted with a density of 500–128,000 trees/ha in the south taiga (Middle Siberia), interactions between stand density, tree- and stand-scale productivity, and tree-ring parameters were investigated. Tree-scale productivity variables, tree-ring width, and latewood width had stable negative allometric relationships with stand density (R² > 0.75), except for tree height (insignificant for inventory surveys at ages of 20 and 25 years; R² > 0.4 at the age of 35 years), while positive allometry was registered for stand productivity variables (R² > 0.7) and the all-time average latewood ratio (R² = 0.5 with planting density). Tree-ring parameters aside from the age trends correlate (p < 0.05) between the plots and demonstrate common responses to moderate moisture deficit. Although, its seasonality apparently depends on the resource base and intensity changes with stand density. February–June precipitation is more important for pine growth in dense stands, July–August conditions affect the latewood ratio stronger in sparse stands, and medium-density stands are more resistant to winter frosts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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16 pages, 12341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A 278-Year Summer Minimum Temperature Reconstruction Based on Tree-Ring Data in the Upper Reaches of Dadu River

by Jinjian Li, Liya Jin and Zeyu Zheng

Forests 2023, 14(4), 832; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040832 - 18 Apr 2023

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Abstract

In the context of global warming, climate change in river headwater regions and its drivers have attracted increasing attention. In this study, tree-ring width (TRW) chronology was constructed using tree-ring samples of fir (Abies faxoniana) in Dadu River Basin in the [...] Read more.

In the context of global warming, climate change in river headwater regions and its drivers have attracted increasing attention. In this study, tree-ring width (TRW) chronology was constructed using tree-ring samples of fir (Abies faxoniana) in Dadu River Basin in the central part of the western Sichuan Plateau, China. Correlation analysis with climatic factors implies that the radial growth of trees in the region is mainly limited by temperature and has the highest correlation with the mean minimum temperature in summer (June and July) (R = 0.602, p < 0.001). On this basis, the TRW chronology was adopted to reconstruct variations in the mean minimum temperatures in summer from 1733 to 2010 in the upper reaches of Dadu River. The reconstruction equation was stable and reliable and offered a variance explanation rate of 36.2% in the observed period (1962~2010). In the past 278 years, the region experienced nine warm periods and ten cold periods. The warmest and coldest years occurred in 2010 and 1798, respectively, with values of 13.6 °C and 11.0 °C. The reconstruction was highly spatiotemporally representative and verified by temperatures reconstructed using other tree-ring data in surrounding areas. A significant warming trend was found in the last few decades. Moreover, the multi-taper method (MTM) analysis indicated significant periodic changes in quasi-2-year and 21–35-year periods, for which the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) could be the key controlling factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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17 pages, 4007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Total Streamflow Variation for the Upper Catchment of Bosten Lake Basin in China Inferred from Tree-Ring Width Records

by Kexiang Liu, Tongwen Zhang, Huaming Shang, Yuting Fan, Shulong Yu, Shengxia Jiang, Weiyi Mao and Xinchun Liu

Forests 2023, 14(3), 622; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030622 - 20 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1420

Abstract

Bosten Lake Basin not only is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the surrounding area, but also maintains the ecological balance of the region. However, with the influence of climate change and human activities, the water level of Bosten [...] Read more.

Bosten Lake Basin not only is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the surrounding area, but also maintains the ecological balance of the region. However, with the influence of climate change and human activities, the water level of Bosten Lake fluctuates sharply and has a great impact on the surrounding ecological environment. Therefore, the study of its historical water flow changes as a reference has become a focus of research. In this study, the radial growth of Schrenk spruces (Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey.) significantly correlated with the tributary streamflow coming from the mountainous region near Bosten Lake Basin. On the basis of this good coherence, the tree-ring chronologies were used to reconstruct the streamflow for Huangshuigou River from the previous August to the present July (r = 0.766, p < 0.0001, n = 50). The reconstructed streamflow series matched observations well, explaining 63.3% of the variation in the observed streamflow of 1956–2005. Then, the sum of the streamflow reconstruction of Huangshuigou River and another two tree-ring-based streamflow reconstructions (Kaidu River and Qingshui River) was used to represent the hydrological variation of the upper catchment of Bosten Lake Basin, and the reconstruction sequence was 306 years. The 10.7, 5.5, and 2.1 year cycles of the power spectrum and wavelet analysis revealed that the runoff series reconstructed from tree-ring hydrometeorology was related to solar activity. Some dry and wet years in the reconstructed streamflow series of the upper catchment of Bosten Lake Basin corresponded to the historical record. During the wet years, the Indian Ocean was probably the main source of precipitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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Review

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17 pages, 2516 KiB

Open AccessReview

Vegetation Index Research on the Basis of Tree-Ring Data: Current Status and Prospects

by Tongwen Zhang, Jinghui Song, Yuting Fan, Yan Liu, Shulong Yu, Dong Guo, Tianhao Hou and Kailong Guo

Forests 2023, 14(10), 2016; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102016 - 8 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2609

Abstract

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and tree-ring parameters are commonly used indicators in the research on forest ecology and responses to climate change. This paper compiles and analyzes the literature on vegetation index research on the basis of tree-ring information in the [...] Read more.

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and tree-ring parameters are commonly used indicators in the research on forest ecology and responses to climate change. This paper compiles and analyzes the literature on vegetation index research on the basis of tree-ring information in the past 20 years and provides an overview of the relationship between tree-ring parameters and NDVI, as well as NDVI reconstruction. The research on the vegetation index based on tree-ring data is mainly concentrated in the middle and high latitudes, and relatively few studies are concentrated in the low latitudes. The tree-ring parameters have a strong correlation with the NDVI in the summer. In terms of tree-ring reconstruction NDVI, Sabina przewalskii is the tree with the longest reconstruction sequence so far, and the tree-ring width is the main proxy index. In addition, combining tree rings with the NDVI is useful for assessing forest decline, quantifying the forest response to drought, and monitoring forest productivity. In the future, it is necessary to consider a variety of environmental factors to find the optimal model construction parameters and carry out research on the climate response of forest tree growth and the reconstruction of the historical sequence of the vegetation index at large spatial scales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Response of Tree Rings to Climate Change and Climate Extremes)

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