Tree-ring model interprets growth decline in natural stands of loblolly pine in the southeastern United States

1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 612-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Zahner ◽  
Joseph R. Saucier ◽  
Richard K. Myers

Annual ring widths and ring areas from 131 even-aged, natural, well-stocked stands of loblolly pine (Pinustaeda L.) in the Piedmont region were analyzed to reveal possible causes of a previously reported decline in radial growth. A linear aggregate model was used to separate independent factors that are known to contribute to radial growth variation in this species. Stand, site, and climatic conditions were reconstructed for each stand for the 36-year period 1949–1984 from previous inventories and from weather records at appropriately located stations. Within each of six 5-year age-classes, the model identified declines in both ring width and ring area associated with stand density, climate changes, and the passage of time. Regional climate first ameliorated this decline as pine stands passed from droughty conditions early in the 36-year period to a favorable climate during the middle of the period, and the decline accelerated later with the return of dry conditions toward the end of the period. The tree-ring model simulates a decline in radial increment in trees in natural pine stands between the ages of 20 and 45 years in the Piedmont which has averaged 1% per year since 1950. Part of the downward trend was attributed to increased competition, part to regional drought, and a considerable part to unidentified factors, possibly regional atmospheric deposition.

Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 276
Author(s):  
Mehmet Doğan ◽  
Nesibe Köse

In this study, we identified the most important climate factors affecting the radial growth of black pine at different elevations of the mountain regions of Southwestern Turkey (Sandıras Mountain, Muğla/Turkey). We used four black pine tree-ring chronologies, which represent upper and lower distribution limits of black pine forest on the South and North slopes of Sandıras Mountain. The relationships between tree-ring width and climate were identified using response function analysis. We performed hierarchical cluster analysis to classify the response functions into meaningful groups. Black pine trees in the mountain regions of Southwestern Turkey responded positively to a warmer temperature and high precipitation at the beginning of the growing season. As high summer temperatures exacerbated drought, radial growth was affected negatively. Hierarchical cluster analysis made clear that elevation differences, rather than aspect, was the main factor responsible for the formation of the clusters. Due to the mountainous terrain of the study area, the changing climatic conditions (air temperature and precipitation) affected the tree-ring widths differently depending on elevation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szymon Bijak

Abstract I present dendroclimatological analysis of coniferous tree species growing under the same environmental conditions in the WULS-SGGW Forest Experimental Station in Rogów (51°49' N, 19°53' E, ca. 190 m a.s.l). The study focuses on silver fir, European larch, Scots pine and Douglas fir. For each species, tree-ring width and annual sensitivity chronologies were developed for the period 1931-2010. Analysed species show considerable similarity of their radial increment course (GLK up to 67%, the t-value of 3,5-9,5). The relationship obtained for of the influence of climate conditions on radial growth of these species is typical of the relationships reported from other locations in lowland Poland. Late winter and early spring temperature, especially during February-March, is the main factor affecting tree-ring formation. The general relationship demonstrates that this seasonal thermal limitation operates at an inter-regional and interspecific level in determining the growth of coniferous tree species in Poland. Whereas, the dependence of these species on precipitation is much less significant.


1982 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-167
Author(s):  
Roger S. Webb ◽  
Samuel A. Alexander

Abstract Mean radial increment growth rates of healthy subsoiled and nonsubsoiled loblolly pines were compared to declining subsoiled and nonsubsoiled trees in a seed orchard located on sandy soil. Following subsoiling during adverse climatic conditions, declining and healthy subsoiled pines demonstrated a progressive reduction in radial increment growth when compared to their respective controls. Three years after subsoiling, healthy and declining subsoiled trees grew significantly more slowly than their controls. Implications for seed orchard management are discussed.


Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
ShouJia Sun ◽  
Shuai Lei ◽  
HanSen Jia ◽  
Chunyou Li ◽  
JinSong Zhang ◽  
...  

Population density influences tree responses to environmental stresses, such as drought and high temperature. Prolonged drought negatively affects the health of Mongolian pines in forests planted by the Three-North Shelter Forest Program in North China. To understand the relationship between stand density and drought-induced forest decline, and to generate information regarding the development of future management strategies, we analyzed the vulnerability to drought of planted Mongolian pines at three stand densities. A tree-ring width index for trees from each density was established from tree-ring data covering the period 1988–2018 and was compared for differences in radial growth. Resistance (Rt), recovery (Rc), resilience (Rs), and relative resilience (RRs) in response to drought events were calculated from the smoothed basal area increment (BAI) curves. The high-density (HDT) group showed a consistently lower tree-ring width than the border trees (BT) and low-density (LDT) groups. The BAI curve of the HDT group started to decrease five years earlier than the LDT and BT groups. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the radial growth of all of the groups was related to precipitation, relative humidity (RH), potential evapotranspiration (ET0), and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) in the previous October and the most recent July, indicating that Mongolian pine trees of different densities had similar growth–climate relationships. Over the three decades, the trees experienced three severe drought events, each causing reduced tree-ring width and BAI. All of the groups showed similar Rc to each drought event, but the HDT group exhibited significantly lower Rt, Rs, and RRs than the BT group, suggesting that the HDT trees were more vulnerable to repeated drought stress. The RRs of the HDT group decreased progressively after each drought event and attained <0 after the third event. All of the groups showed similar trends regarding water consumption under varying weather conditions, but the HDT group showed significantly reduced whole-tree hydraulic capability compared with the other two groups. From these results, HDT trees exhibit ecophysiological memory effects from successive droughts, including sap flux dysfunction and higher competition index, which may prevent recovery of pre-drought growth rates. HDT trees may be at greater risk of mortality under future drought disturbance.


Author(s):  
Yanhua Zhang ◽  
Shengzuo Fang ◽  
Ye Tian ◽  
Linlin Wang ◽  
Yi Lv

AbstractPoplar is raw material for various panel, paper and fiber products. The 12 sample trees of clone Nanlin-895 from four spacings were destructively harvested after thirteen growing seasons to assess the influence of spacing on radial growth and wood properties. Spacing significantly affected tree-ring width and wood basic density (p < 0.05) but not fiber traits. The highest diameter and wood basic density at breast height (1.3 m) was in 6 m × 6 m and 3 m × 8 m spacings, respectively. However, no significant differences in tree-ring width, wood basic density and fiber traits were observed among the four sampling directions in discs taken at 1.3 m for each spacing. Growth rings from the pith and tree heights had significant effects on wood basic density and fiber anatomical characteristics, highlighting obvious temporal-spatial variations. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significantly negative relationship of tree-ring width to wood basic density, fiber length and fiber width, but a significantly positive relationship to hemicellulose. There was no relationship with cellulose and lignin contents. Based on a comprehensive assessment by the TOPSIS method, the 6 m × 6 m spacing is recommended for producing wood fiber at similar sites in the future.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. K. Kharal ◽  
T. Fujiwara

Tree ring analysis is one of the most useful methods in volume and biomass estimation especially of the conifer trees. Ring width and ring density are important parameters in dendrochronological research. The present research was carried out with the aim of estimating the radial and volumetric growth of the Japanese Cypress trees (Chamaecyperis obstusa and C. pisifera). Destructive method was used while collecting the wood samples from the selected trees. Ring width and ring density were measured using soft X-ray densitometry method using micro-densitometer. Computer programme, developed by the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Japan was used to analyze the ring with and ring density data. The average ring width of the Chamaecyparis spp. was found to be about 3.4 mm at the age of 30 years. However, two types of growth pattern were observed in the trees. Average radial growth was about 5% every year during the first 20 years of the tree age, whereas, the average radial growth was negative during the age of 20–30 years. Average density of the tree rings were increased by about 11% in each height of the trees starting from the ground. Similarly, the stem density decreased by about 3.4% annually along the radial direction from the pith.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/banko.v22i2.9197Banko Janakari: A Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 22, No. 2, 2012 November Page: 36-42 Uploaded date: 12/1/2013 


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domen Arnič ◽  
Jožica Gričar ◽  
Jernej Jevšenak ◽  
Gregor Božič ◽  
Georg von Arx ◽  
...  

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) adapts to local growing conditions to enhance its performance. In response to variations in climatic conditions, beech trees adjust leaf phenology, cambial phenology, and wood formation patterns, which result in different tree-ring widths (TRWs) and wood anatomy. Chronologies of tree ring width and vessel features [i.e., mean vessel area (MVA), vessel density (VD), and relative conductive area (RCTA)] were produced for the 1960–2016 period for three sites that differ in climatic regimes and spring leaf phenology (two early- and one late-flushing populations). These data were used to investigate long-term relationships between climatic conditions and anatomical features of four quarters of tree-rings at annual and intra-annual scales. In addition, we investigated how TRW and vessel features adjust in response to extreme weather events (i.e., summer drought). We found significant differences in TRW, VD, and RCTA among the selected sites. Precipitation and maximum temperature before and during the growing season were the most important climatic factors affecting TRW and vessel characteristics. We confirmed differences in climate-growth relationships between the selected sites, late flushing beech population at Idrija showing the least pronounced response to climate. MVA was the only vessel trait that showed no relationship with TRW or other vessel features. The relationship between MVA and climatic factors evaluated at intra-annual scale indicated that vessel area in the first quarter of tree-ring were mainly influenced by climatic conditions in the previous growing season, while vessel area in the second to fourth quarters of tree ring width was mainly influenced by maximum temperature and precipitation in the current growing season. When comparing wet and dry years, beech from all sites showed a similar response, with reduced TRW and changes in intra-annual variation in vessel area. Our findings suggest that changes in temperature and precipitation regimes as predicted by most climate change scenarios will affect tree-ring increments and wood structure in beech, yet the response between sites or populations may differ.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 2381-2392
Author(s):  
Maierdang Keyimu ◽  
Zongshan Li ◽  
Bojie Fu ◽  
Guohua Liu ◽  
Fanjiang Zeng ◽  
...  

Abstract. Trees record climatic conditions during their growth, and tree rings serve as proxy to reveal the features of the historical climate of a region. In this study, we collected tree-ring cores of hemlock forest (Tsuga forrestii) from the northwestern Yunnan area of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau (SETP) and created a residual tree-ring width (TRW) chronology. An analysis of the relationship between tree growth and climate revealed that precipitation during the non-growing season (NGS) (from November of the previous year to February of the current year) was the most important constraining factor on the radial tree growth of hemlock forests in this region. In addition, the influence of NGS precipitation on radial tree growth was relatively uniform over time (1956–2005). Accordingly, we reconstructed the NGS precipitation over the period spanning from 1600–2005. The reconstruction accounted for 28.5 % of the actual variance during the common period of 1956–2005. Based on the reconstruction, NGS was extremely dry during the years 1656, 1694, 1703, 1736, 1897, 1907, 1943, 1982 and 1999. In contrast, the NGS was extremely wet during the years 1627, 1638, 1654, 1832, 1834–1835 and 1992. Similar variations of the NGS precipitation reconstruction series and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) reconstructions of early growing season from surrounding regions indicated the reliability of the present reconstruction. A comparison of the reconstruction with Climate Research Unit (CRU) gridded data revealed that our reconstruction was representative of the NGS precipitation variability of a large region in the SETP. Our study provides the first historical NGS precipitation reconstruction in the SETP which enriches the understanding of the long-term climate variability of this region. The NGS precipitation showed slightly increasing trend during the last decade which might accelerate regional hemlock forest growth.


2016 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Cedro

AbstractThe wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis L.) is a very rare tree species in Poland, where it reaches the north-eastern border of its natural range. The majority of this species’ stands is found in Wielkopolska. This study was aimed at examining the relationships between the growth and climate for trees of the species Sorbus torminalis L. growing in the Wielkopolska National Park and the Pniewy forest district (Wielkopolska). The samples for the analysis were taken from 63 trees. However, taking into account the missing growth rings and the difficult identification of the tree ring borders in sapwood, only ca. 30% of the samples could be synchronised and dated accurately. Applying the classic methods of dendrochronological dating, a 94- year STW chronology was constructed, spanning the years of 1920-2013. The chronology, in turn, was used as a basis for dendroclimatological analyses, including correlation, response function, and pointer years. The climatic data used in the analyses came from the meteorological station in Poznań; providing air temperature and precipitation for a period of 66 years (1948-2013) and 48 years of insolation data (1966-2013). Insolation had the highest negative impact and precipitation had the highest positive impact on the annual growth in May and June. Positive pointer years could be linked to humid months with low insolation during the growing season, while negative pointer years are characterised by deficient precipitation, a large number of sunny hours, and high air temperatures in the summer months.


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