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Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability...
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Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2022) | Viewed by 15970

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jussi Grießinger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuernberg, Wetterkreuz 15, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
Interests: effects of climate change on forest ecosystems; landscape history; δ18O and δ13C in tree rings; high mountain areas
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Haifeng Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: tree rings; climate change; glaciers; forest; climatology; geography; ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The temperate climatic regions are characterized by a diverse variety of broadleaved, mixed, and coniferous forests with a highly varying species dominance. These widespread temperate forests not only dominate the northern hemisphere in a wide belt between 20° to 60°, but are also distributed in the same latitudes on the southern hemisphere. Predominantly, temperate forest regions are characterized by a distinct seasonal cycle triggered by the respective latitude, elevation, and oceanic influence. Range shifts of temperate tree species have increasingly been reported, either in latitude or altitude. Mostly, changes in climate, such as generally rising temperatures, changes in seasonality, and enhanced drought frequencies, have been attributed as the main driving factors behind these shifts. In addition, process-based models predict a further intensification of such shifts in the near future. This Special Issue, therefore, focuses on studies dealing with forest response to climate change in temperate forest regions across the globe. We welcome contributions dealing with the use of different methods and approaches in the context of altitudinal (dependent) adaptations, tree-line dynamics, and responses and shifts of temperate tree species, mainly but not only focusing on the climate, hydrological, and stable isotope variability recorded by and in trees.

Dr. Jussi Grießinger
Prof. Dr. Haifeng Zhu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • temperate forests
  • altitudinal gradients
  • effects of climate change on temperate tree species
  • stable isotope variability
  • adaptation
  • tree-line dynamics

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 10332 KiB  
Article
Two Nothofagus Species in Southernmost South America Are Recording Divergent Climate Signals
by Pamela Soto-Rogel, Juan Carlos Aravena, Ricardo Villalba, Christian Bringas, Wolfgang Jens-Henrik Meier, Álvaro Gonzalez-Reyes and Jussi Grießinger
Forests 2022, 13(5), 794; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050794 - 19 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2816
Abstract
Recent climatic trends, such as warming temperatures, decrease in rainfall, and extreme weather events (e.g., heatwaves), are negatively affecting the performance of forests. In northern Patagonia, such conditions have caused tree growth reduction, crown dieback, and massive die-back events. However, studies looking at [...] Read more.
Recent climatic trends, such as warming temperatures, decrease in rainfall, and extreme weather events (e.g., heatwaves), are negatively affecting the performance of forests. In northern Patagonia, such conditions have caused tree growth reduction, crown dieback, and massive die-back events. However, studies looking at these consequences in the southernmost temperate forest (Nothofagus betuloides and Nothofagus pumilio) are much scarcer, especially in southernmost South America (SSA). These forests are also under the influence of the positive phase of Antarctic Oscillation (AAO, also known as Southern Annular Mode, SAM) that has been associated with increasing trends in temperature, drought, and extreme events in the last decades. This study evaluated the growth patterns and the climatic response of eight new tree-ring chronologies from Nothofagus species located at the upper treeline along different environmental gradients in three study areas: Punta Arenas, Yendegaia National Park, and Navarino Island in SSA. The main modes of the ring-width index (RWI) variation were studied using principal component analysis (PCA). We found that PC1 has the higher loadings for sites with precipitation values over 600 mm/yr, PC2 with N. betuloides sites, and PC3 with higher loadings for sites with precipitation values below 600 mm/yr. Our best growth-climate relationships are between N. betuloides and AAO and the most northeastern site of N. pumilio with relative humidity (which coincides with heatwaves and extreme drought). The climatic signals imprinted in the southernmost forests are sensitive to climatic variability, the climate forcing AAO, and the effects of climate change in the last decades. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems)
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10 pages, 2770 KiB  
Article
Inherent Water-Use Efficiency of Different Forest Ecosystems and Its Relations to Climatic Variables
by Ziqiang Liu, Xiaofang Ji, Limin Ye and Jiang Jiang
Forests 2022, 13(5), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050775 - 17 May 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2208
Abstract
Inherent water-use efficiency (IWUE) is a vital parameter connecting the carbon and water cycles. However, the factors influencing the IWUE in different forest ecosystems are still a subject of debate. In this work, FLUXNET platform measurements of 67 forest sites were used to [...] Read more.
Inherent water-use efficiency (IWUE) is a vital parameter connecting the carbon and water cycles. However, the factors influencing the IWUE in different forest ecosystems are still a subject of debate. In this work, FLUXNET platform measurements of 67 forest sites were used to detect trends of the IWUE of four forest ecosystems, namely deciduous broadleaf forests (DBF), evergreen broadleaf forests (EBF), needle-leaf forests (ENF), and mixed forests (MF). The IWUE differed significantly among different forest ecosystems and positively correlated with temperature and solar radiation. The IWUE of EBF was the highest at 32.02 g·C·Kg·H2O−1. The values of DBF and MF were similar and higher than that of ENF. With increasing latitude, the IWUE increased first and then decreased, with a maximum of 35° N. The IWUE of EBF was negatively correlated with precipitation and leaf area index. Temperature and solar radiation were the main factors controlling the IWUE of forest ecosystems, whereas precipitation was the major factor controlling the inter-annual variation in the ΔIWUE of forest ecosystems. Our results provide a scientific basis for the study of forest carbon sinks, forest eco-hydrological processes, and forest ecosystem responses to global climatic changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems)
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17 pages, 2761 KiB  
Article
The Dry and the Wet Case: Tree Growth Response in Climatologically Contrasting Years on the Island of Corsica
by Martin Häusser, Sonja Szymczak, Isabel Knerr, Jörg Bendix, Emilie Garel, Frédéric Huneau, Katja Trachte, Sébastien Santoni and Achim Bräuning
Forests 2021, 12(9), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12091175 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2277
Abstract
Stem radial variations of Corsican Black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold subsp. laricio Maire) and Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) were monitored to quantify the impact of two meteorologically contrasting consecutive years. On the French island of Corsica, in the western Mediterranean [...] Read more.
Stem radial variations of Corsican Black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold subsp. laricio Maire) and Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) were monitored to quantify the impact of two meteorologically contrasting consecutive years. On the French island of Corsica, in the western Mediterranean basin, the year 2017 was extremely dry, while 2018 was exceptionally wet. We attached electric band dendrometers to 36 pines along an east–west transect, spanning the central mountain range, and set up automated weather stations at all five sites, ranging from 10 m asl to 1600 m asl. Stem radial variations (SRV) were separated into irreversible growth (GRO) and tree water deficit (TWD) periods. During the drought of 2017, the most severe tree water deficits occurred in the western part of the island, whereas trees at higher elevations were more affected than at lower elevations. A prolonged decrease of SRV, even close to the tree line, suggests bimodal growth and reveals high plasticity of growth patterns in both Corsican pines. Stem radial variations correlated significantly with precipitation and temperature. The positive correlations of GRO with precipitation and the negative correlations of TWD with temperature imply that high evapotranspiration led to the intense period of TWD in 2017. A novel approach was used to further investigate the growth/climate relationship by including synoptic-scale pressure situations. This revealed that an elevation gradient in GRO per weather pattern was only present in the wet year and that even rarely occurring weather patterns can have a substantial impact on tree growth. This novel approach provides a more comprehensive insight into meteorological drivers of tree growth patterns by incorporating different scales of the climatic system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems)
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14 pages, 4278 KiB  
Article
Cellulose δ18O of Tree Rings Reflects Vapour Pressure Variations in the Ordos Plateau
by Wentai Liu, Qiang Li, Huiming Song, Ruolan Deng and Yu Liu
Forests 2021, 12(6), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12060788 - 15 Jun 2021
Viewed by 2589
Abstract
In arid and semi-arid regions, a better understanding of the effect of climate change mechanisms on environmental evolution can be used to guide regional ecological conservation and to improve water resource availability. Increased aridity in arid and semi-arid regions considerably affects the physiological [...] Read more.
In arid and semi-arid regions, a better understanding of the effect of climate change mechanisms on environmental evolution can be used to guide regional ecological conservation and to improve water resource availability. Increased aridity in arid and semi-arid regions considerably affects the physiological functions of plants and the exchange of carbon and water with the environment. We collected Pinus tabuliformis Carr. samples from Ordos, Inner Mongolia, and measured their δ18O variations. Vapour pressure (VP) was the main factor dominating δ18O variations from July to August, indicating the regulatory role of plant leaf stomata. Based on the δ18O series in the Ordos region, we reconstructed VP variations for July–August (VPJA) for the past 205 years. Spatial analysis showed the reconstruction as spatially highly representative. VP variations in the Ordos region mainly reflected precipitation variations and did not show a significant correlation with temperature. Since the late 1950s, VP has been decreasing, which is related to the weakening of the Asian monsoon. The results of reconstruction decomposed using ensemble empirical mode decomposition showed that El Niño–Southern Oscillation may affect VP in the study area, and the effect of sea surface temperature on the central and eastern Pacific Ocean in the Ordos region may lead to an increase in the drought. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems)
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13 pages, 3279 KiB  
Article
A Tree-Ring-Based Assessment of Pinus armandii Adaptability to Climate Using Two Statistical Methods in Mt. Yao, Central China during 1961–2016
by Jianfeng Peng, Jingru Li, Jinbao Li, Xuan Li, Jiayue Cui, Meng Peng, Jiaxin Huo and Liu Yang
Forests 2021, 12(6), 780; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12060780 - 13 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2327
Abstract
Assessing the characteristics and limiting factors of tree growth is of practical significance for environmental studies and climatic reconstruction, especially in climate transition zones. In this study, four sites of Pinus armandii Franeh are investigated to understand regional climate-tree growth response in Mt. [...] Read more.
Assessing the characteristics and limiting factors of tree growth is of practical significance for environmental studies and climatic reconstruction, especially in climate transition zones. In this study, four sites of Pinus armandii Franeh are investigated to understand regional climate-tree growth response in Mt. Yao, central China. Based on the high similarity of four residual chronologies and high correlations between chronologies and climatic factors, we analyzed the correlations of regional residual chronology with monthly climatic factors and the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI) from 1961–2016. The results indicate that the hydrothermal combination of prior August and current May and the scPDSI in May are main limiting factors of regional tree growth in Mt. Yao. The results of stepwise regression models also show that temperature and scPDSI in May are the main limiting factors of tree growth, but the limiting effect of scPDSI is more than temperature in this month. Through the analysis of the number of tree growth years corresponding to high temperature and high scPDSI, it was further confirmed that scPDSI in May is the main limiting factor on the growth of P. armandii in Mt. Yao. However, the influence of scPDSI in May has weakened, while temperature in May has increasingly significant influence on tree growth. The above findings will help improve our understanding of forest dynamics in central China under global climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems)
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13 pages, 2662 KiB  
Article
Changes in Deep Soil Water Content in the Process of Large-Scale Apple Tree Planting on the Loess Tableland of China
by Yaping Wang, Weiming Yan, Xiaoyang Han, Feifei Pan, Liping Cheng and Wenzhao Liu
Forests 2021, 12(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12020123 - 23 Jan 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2533
Abstract
Soil water has become a major limiting factor in agriculture and forestry development on the Loess Plateau of China. In the past 20–30 years, large areas of apple orchards have been built in this region, which have resulted in excessive consumption of deep [...] Read more.
Soil water has become a major limiting factor in agriculture and forestry development on the Loess Plateau of China. In the past 20–30 years, large areas of apple orchards have been built in this region, which have resulted in excessive consumption of deep soil water and soil desiccation. To evaluate the effects of orchard development on deep soil water content (SWC), a meta-analysis of 162 sampling sites on the loess tableland from 44 peer-reviewed publications was conducted in this study. The results showed that the deep SWC in orchards depended on stand age, planting density and annual precipitation. In regions with 550–600 mm precipitation, the orchard with lower planting density showed no soil desiccation in young and early fruiting stages, while deep soil (>2 m) desiccation occurred in full fruiting and old orchards. The effect of planting density on deep SWC varied with stand age. There were significant differences in SWC among different planting densities in early fruiting orchards (p < 0.05), in which soil desiccation occurred in orchards with higher planting density. However, with the continuous consumption of soil water by apple trees, deep soil desiccation occurred in old orchards regardless of planting density. Further, affected by the spatial variation of annual precipitation, deep SWC in orchards significantly decreased with annual precipitation from 650 to 500 mm among the 44 study sites (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that the planting density should be reasonably regulated on the level of annual precipitation, and apple trees need to be pruned appropriately with a goal of moderate productivity, so as to achieve the sustainable use of regional water resources, food security and economic development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Altitudinal Gradients and Forest Response: Climate, Hydrology, and Isotope Variability of Temperate Forest Ecosystems)
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