Response to climate changes in radial growth of Picea crassifolia in the Qilian mountains of northwestern China

• Published in: Forest science and practice Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 310 - 319
• Main Authors: XU, Jin-Mei, BAO, Fu-Cheng, LV, Jian-Xiong, HUANG, Rong-Feng, ZHAO, You-Ke, ROBERT, Evans
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2013
• Subjects: Picea; China, People's Rep., Qinghai Prov., Qilian Mts; China, People's Rep
• ISSN: 2095-4034
• DOI: 10.1107/s11632-013-0411-7

In order to Investigate the response to climate changes In radial growth of Picea crassifolia at the lower tree line in the middle Qihan mountains In northwestern China, relationships of standardized chronologies of annual ring, earlywood and latewood widths with mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation were analyzed by ways of correlation and pointer year analyses. The results show that annual ring, eartywood and latewood widths are significantly negatively correlated with mean monthly temperature in June and July. Annual ring and eartywood widths are significantly and positively correlated with total monthly precipitation in March, May and June and negatively correlated with total monthly precipitation in September. Latewood width is less sensitive to dimate changes than the width of ea,iywood and Insignificantly sensitive to precipitation. The results of pointer year analysis revealed that when summer temperatures are higher than the mean summer temperature synchronization and the summer precipitation lower than mean summer precipitation synchronization, narrow annual rings are formed. Wide annual rings are formed when summer temperatures are lower than the mean summer temperature synchronization and summer precipitation higher thai mean summer precipitation synchronization. The results indicate that more precipitation In the spring and summer Is helpful for radial growth while warmer summer restricts radial growth of P. crassifolia at the lower tree line in the middle Qitlan mountains.