Climatic signals in tree ring of Picea schrenkiana along an altitudinal gradient in the central Tianshan Mountains, northwestern China

Tree-ring samples of Picea schrenkiana (Fisch. et Mey) were studied along an altitudinal gradient in the central Tianshan Mountains, and ring-width chronologies were developed for three sites at different altitudes: low-forest border (1600–1700 m a.s.l.), interior forest (2100–2200 m a.s.l.), and upper treeline (2600–2700 m a.s.l.). Annual ring-width variations were similar among the three sites but variability was greatest at the low-forest border site. The statistical characters of the chronologies showed that mean sensitivity (MS) and standard deviation (SD) decreased with increasing elevation. In other words, the response of tree growth to environmental changes decreased with increasing altitude. To understand the differing response of trees at different elevations to the environmental changes, response function analysis was used to study the relationships between tree-ring widths and mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation from 1961 to 2000. The results showed that precipitation was the most important factor limiting tree radial growth in the arid central Tianshan Mountains, precipitation in August of the prior growth year played an important role on tree's radial growth across the entire altitudinal gradient even at the cold, high-elevation treeline site. It is expected that with increasing altitude air temperature decreased and precipitation increased, the importance of precipitation on tree growth decreased, and the response of tree growth to environmental changes decreased, too. This conclusion may be helpful to understand and research the relationship between climatic change and tree growth in arid and semiarid area.     

Difference in tree growth responses to climate at the upper treeline: Qilian Juniper in the Anyemaqen Mountains

Three ring-width chronologies were developed from Qilian Juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) at the upper treeline along a west-east gradient in the Anyemaqen Mountains.Most chronological statistics,except for mean sensitivity (MS),decreased from west to east.The first principal component (PC1) Ioadings indicated that stands in a similar climate condition were most important to the variability of radial growth.PC2 Ioadings decreased from west to east,suggesting the difference of tree-growth between eastern and western Anyemaqen Mountains.Correlations between standard chronologies and climatic factors revealed different climatic influences on radial growth along a west-east gradient in the study area.Temperature of warm season (July-August) was important to the radial growth at the upper treeline in the whole study area.Precipitation of current May was an important limiting factor of tree growth only in the western (drier) upper treeline,whereas precipitation of current September limited tree growth in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline.Response function analysis results showed that there were regional differences between tree growth and climatic factors in various sampling sites of the whole study area.Temperature and precipitation were the important factors influencing tree growth in western (drier) upper treeline.However,tree growth was greatly limited by temperature at the upper treeline in the middle area,and was more limited by precipitation than temperature in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline.     

Radial Growth of Qilian Juniper on the Northeast Tibetan Plateau and Potential Climate Associations

There is controversy regarding the limiting climatic factor for tree radial growth at the alpine treeline on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we collected 594 increment cores from 331 trees, grouped within four altitude belts spanning the range 3550 to 4020 m.a.s.l. on a single hillside. We have developed four equivalent ring-width chronologies and shown that there are no significant differences in their growth-climate responses during 1956 to 2011 or in their longer-term growth patterns during the period AD 1110–2011. The main climate influence on radial growth is shown to be precipitation variability. Missing ring analysis shows that tree radial growth at the uppermost treeline location is more sensitive to climate variation than that at other elevations, and poor tree radial growth is particularly linked to the occurrence of serious drought events. Hence water limitation, rather than temperature stress, plays the pivotal role in controlling the radial growth of Sabina przewalskii Kom. at the treeline in this region. This finding contradicts any generalisation that tree-ring chronologies from high-elevation treeline environments are mostly indicators of temperature changes.     

祁连山中部地区树轮宽度年表特征随海拔高度的变化

利用采自祁连山中部地区不同海拔高度的四个采样点的青海云杉树轮样芯 ,分别建立了树木年轮宽度年表。发现随海拔高度的上升 ,树轮宽度指数的振幅减小 ,年表的平均敏感性降低 ,样本间的一致性也逐步减小 ,上限年表与气候因子的相关性最低 ,这与目前大家普遍认同的上限树木的生长受温度控制的概念并不一致。进一步的分析表明 ,年表的敏感性随海拔高度降低主要是由于该区域树木生长的限制因子是春季降水 ,而降水随海拔高度的升高而增加 ,从而使得春季降水对树木生长的限制作用随海拔升高而逐步减弱 ;生物学指标的测定结果表明 ,生长在高海拔的树木对环境的生态适应策略发生变化 ,其生理代谢维持在较低水平 ,以避免环境变化带来的影响 ,因此生长在高海拔的青海云杉对环境变化的敏感性较差。     

Climate–growth analysis of Qilian juniper across an altitudinal gradient in the central Qilian Mountains, northwest China

In the context of global warming, it is of high importance to assess the influence of climatic change and geographic factors on the radial growth of high-elevation trees. Using tree-ring data collected from four stands of Qilian juniper (Juniperus przewalskii Kom.) across an altitudinal gradient in the central Qilian Mountains, northwest China, we compared the radial growth characteristics and climate–growth relationships at different elevations. Results indicated that there was little difference in the tree-ring parameters of the four chronologies. Correlation analyses both for unfiltered and 10-year high-passed data of monthly climatic variables and chronologies were presented to investigate the climatic forcing on tree growth, and results revealed that the correlation patterns were consistent among the four sites, especially for high-passed data. We employed the principal components analysis method to obtain the first principal component (PC1) of the four chronologies and computed the correlations between PC1 and climate factors. The PC1 correlated significantly with winter (November–January) temperature, prior August and current May temperature, and precipitation in the previous September and current January and April, indicating that tree growth in this region was mainly limited by cold winter temperature and drought in early growing season and prior growing season (prior August and September). However, the climate–growth relationships were unstable; with an increase in temperature, the sensitivity of tree growth to temperature had decreased over the past few decades. Considering the instability of the climate–growth relationships, climate reconstructions based on tree rings in the study area should be approached with more caution.     

坡向对海拔梯度上祁连圆柏树木生长的影响

选择青海省同德县南部河北林场的一个连续坡面,根据不同海拔和坡向设置4个采样点,采集祁连圆柏(Sabina przewalskii)树轮数据,分析不同海拔和坡向对树木生长的影响。结果表明:坡面上部3个采样点的树轮年表特征值均呈一定的变化规律——平均敏感值(MS)和标准差(SD)随海拔升高而增大,一阶自相关(AC)随海拔升高而递减,下限年表特征值均表现出与其他3点的不同,都是最值(MS和SD均最大,AC最小);年表间相关和主成分分析结果都显示出海拔梯度上的变化规律,但下限差异显著;树轮指数与当年6–8月平均气温的相关系数呈增强趋势,森林上限受当年7、8月平均气温影响较大,下限树轮指数不仅与当年6月和前一年11月的气温显著负相关,而且受前一年8月和当年5月的月降水量影响显著。与通常情况"下限树木生长受降水制约"比较,这里的温度作用增强而降水限制减弱。显然,坡向扭转是海拔梯度上影响祁连圆柏生长变化的重要因子。     

天山东部西伯利亚落叶松树轮生长对气候要素的响应分析

天山东部西伯利亚落叶松的树木年轮学研究可以看出：森林上限树轮宽度年表之间相关性较高而下限年表间相关稍低,表明下限小生境要素对树木生长干扰较大。森林上下限树轮年表中样本的总解释量（ESP）和信噪比（SNR）都比较高,说明树木中都含有较多的环境信息;但标准年表中平均敏感度（M．S．）和轮宽指数的标准差（S．D．）都是森林上限数值低于下限,这表明森林上限树木生长对环境变化响应的敏感性降低;相关分析和响应分析也发现森林下限生长的树木对气候因子的响应较为显著。就温度而言,森林上限和下限表现基本一致,树木生长多与温度负相关,其中下限树木生长与春季均温和3．6月份均温显著负相关;降水表现出一定的差别,上限树木生长与春季、夏季及年降水量有较高的负相关,而对下限树木生长影响最大的则是冬季和3—6月份降水。湿润指数与降水基本一致即上限呈负相关而下限正相关,温暖指数全为负相关,寒冷指数下限负相关显著;显然该地区森林上下限树木生长的生态模式存在着一定的差异。研究发现,冬春季节的不同水热组合则是形成树木年轮宽窄的限制因素;同时,前期生长的滞后效应对年轮形成有重要的影响。     

Climate Signals from Tree Ring Chronologies of the Upper and Lower Treelines in the Dulan Region of the Northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The radial growth of trees In mountainous areas is subject to environmental conditions associated with changes In elevation. To assess the sensitivity of tree-ring growth to climate variation over a wide range of elevations, we compared the chronological characteristics of Sabina przewalskii Kom. and their relationships with climatic variables at the upper and lower treellnes In the Dulan region of the northeastern Qlnghal-Tlbetan Plateau. It was found that the radial growth in this region was controlled primarily by precipitation in late spring and early summer （from May to June）. In addition, a higher temperature from April to June could Intensify drought stress and lead to narrow tree rings. The significant similarity In climate-tree growth relationships at both the upper and lower treellnes Indicated that tree rings of S. przewalskU In this region are able to provide common regional climate information. However, the chronologies at the lower forest limits showed a higher standard deviation and more significant correlations with climatic factors, suggesting that the radial growth there was more significantly Influenced by climate variation. The first principal component of the four chronologies showed a common growth response to local climate. The second principal component showed a contrasting growth response between different sampling sites. The third principal component revealed different growth patterns In response to altitudinal variation. Further analysis Indicated that the precipitation In late spring and early summer controlled the growth of S. przewalskii on a regional scale and that other factors, such as mlcroenvlronment at the sampling sites, also affected the strength of the climatic response of tree growth.     

Climatic response of three tree species growing at different elevations in the Lüliang Mountains of Northern China

In this study, we present the results of a dendroclimatological investigation of three coniferous tree species, Larix principis-rupprechtii, Picea meyeri and Pinus tabulaeformis, growing along an altitudinal gradient at the Lüliang Mountains in Northern China. Totally five tree-ring width chronologies were developed to explore the climate-growth responses of these tree species. No obviously regular trend associated with the increase of elevation was found by comparing the statistical characteristics of the chronologies. Correlation analysis indicated that the chronologies from lowerest to middle-high sites (SZ, BWD, BDGL and BDGP, respectively) were highly correlated, and different species from the same site showed the highest correlation. Growth–climate analysis indicated that the chronology of Larix principis-rupprechti at the uppermost site near the tree line (XWS) did not exhibit a significant response to the seasonal climatic factors, whereas the other four lower chronologies were consistently and significantly influenced by both the mean temperature from May to July and the total precipitation from March to June, regardless of tree species and elevation. The similarity of the tree growth–climate relationships of different species growing at different elevations (except that from the tree line) suggests that the trees in this region can provide common regional climate information, and combinations of multiple species (RC) are more successful in reconstructing the climate data than single species. The results of this research are very crucial for the future forest management and dendroclimatological sampling strategy in the arid to semi-arid area of northern China.     

阿尼玛卿山地不同海拔青海云杉(Picea crassifolia)树轮生长特性及其对气候的响应

利用位于同一坡面的青海云杉树芯样本,建立了4个海拔高度的树轮宽度指数年表。分析结果表明年表序列特征值大都因海拔而不同,各年表序列对气候因子的相关性在不同高度也表现出一定的差异:树木生长都与前一年10月份月均温显著正相关,与前一年8月份和当年5、6月份月均温显著负相关;与前一年9、10月份和当年5月份的降水量都呈显著正相关,但都随海拔升高呈波状变化。树轮宽度指数与不同时段的温度和温暖指数都呈负相关,表明5～9月是该地区青海云杉生长较为活跃的季节。响应函数分析结果表明该地区低海拔生长的青海云杉受温度和降水的影响都比高海拔生长的更显著,显然不同于以前研究的森林上下限树木的生长模式。4a表主成分中的第一主分量贡献率为81.071%,表明同一坡面影响树木生长的大环境因子是一致的。第一主分量与气候因子的相关分析同样显示出前一年生长季末和当年生长季初的水热组合是树木生长的主要限制因子,区域模拟也进一步证明了这一点。并认清了同一坡面青海云杉树轮记录的共性和差异,为今后树轮采样和研究提供一定的理论依据。     

Growth–climate relationships along an elevation gradient on a southeast-facing mountain slope in the semi-arid eastern Qaidam Basin,northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Key message

Both temperature and precipitation are strong factors of radial tree growth at all elevations in the semi-arid study area, except at the upper treeline where temperature becomes the major controlling factor.

Abstract

Several recent studies across the Tibetan Plateau found consistent growth–climate relations at all elevations from the lower treelines to the upper treelines. These findings seem to challenge the general principle of dendroclimatology that precipitation serves as the controlling factor of radial tree growth at lower elevations while temperature serves as the controlling factor at higher elevations in semi-arid regions. Such conclusions also question the potential of temperature reconstruction using ring-width data in these regions if precipitation remains the dominant factor of tree growth at the upper treelines. In this study, radial growth of Qilian juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) was examined along an elevation gradient between ~3820 and 4230 m in the mountains east of the Qaidam Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau, to determine the limiting factors of radial tree growth at different elevations. Rotated principal component analysis revealed two modes of variation patterns. The first mode presents mostly tree ring data from the lower elevation zones (3820–4100 m) and contains strong signals of precipitation variation. The second mode represents the higher elevation zones (approx. 4100–4230 m) and contains strong signals of both temperature and precipitation variations. When signals of precipitation variation are removed from the tree ring data using partial correlation, the growth–temperature relationships become more evident on the upper slope. When correlations between individual tree-ring series and climate variables were examined, we discovered that there were better chances of finding tree ring samples strongly correlated to temperature variables (r = 0.6 or higher) at the elevation zone within ~100 m of the upper treeline, but uncommon at lower elevations. We also found that topographic variables, such as slope gradient and growing-season direct solar radiation may have minor influences on the growth–climate relationships.

     

Spatiotemporal variability of tree growth and its association with climate over Northwest China

Understanding spatiotemporal tree growth variability and its associations with climate can provide key insights into forest dynamics in the context of global climate change. Here, we conduct a comprehensive investigation on 64 ring-width chronologies across the entire Northwest (NW) China to understand the regional patterns of tree growth and climate–growth relationships. Using rotated principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis, we found that tree growth was mainly determined by the climate and could be classified into nine groups. Most of the tree-ring chronologies in NW China showed high correlations with moisture conditions in the current and previous growing seasons. After removing age-related growth trends, inter-annual tree growth patterns are supposed to be mainly determined by climate and climate–growth relationships. Since climate–growth relationships for most tree-ring chronologies in this arid region are similar, patterns of tree growth are mainly determined by climate variability. Within each group, the strength of the common signal increases under extreme climate conditions. Thus, climate plays a more important role in determining tree growth in extreme climate conditions relative to the non-climate factors, leading to more coherent growth patterns.     

Treeline dynamics in relation to climatic variability in the central Tianshan Mountains, northwestern China

Aim Climate variability may be an important mediating agent of ecosystem dynamics in cold, arid regions such as the central Tianshan Mountains, north‐western China. Tree‐ring chronologies and the age structure of a Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana) forest were developed to examine treeline dynamics in recent decades in relation to climatic variability. Of particular interest was whether tree‐ring growth and population recruitment patterns responded similarly to climate warming. Location The study was conducted in eight stands that ranged from 2500 m to 2750 m a.s.l. near the treeline in the Tianchi Nature Reserve (43°45′?43°59′ N, 88°00′?88°20′ E) in the central Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. Methods Tree‐ring cores were collected and used to develop tree‐ring chronologies. The age of sampled trees was determined from basal cores sampled as close as possible to the ground. Population age structure and recruitment information were obtained using an age–d.b.h. (diameter at breast height) regression from the sampled cores and the d.b.h. measured on all trees in the plots. Ring‐width chronologies and tree age structure were both used to investigate the relationship between treeline dynamics and climate change. Results Comparisons with the climatic records showed that both the radial growth of trees and tree recruitment were influenced positively by temperature and precipitation in the cold high treeline zone, but the patterns of their responses differed. The annual variation in tree rings could be explained largely by the average monthly minimum temperatures during February and August of the current year and by the monthly precipitation of the previous August and January, which had a significant and positive effect on tree radial growth. P. schrenkiana recruitment was influenced mainly by consecutive years of high minimum summer temperatures and high precipitation during spring. Over the last several decades, the treeline did not show an obvious upward shift and new recruitment was rare. Some trees had established at the treeline at least 200 years ago. Recruitment increased until the early 20th century (1910s) but then decreased with poor recruitment over the past several decades (1950–2000). Main conclusions There were strong associations between climatic change and ring‐width patterns, and with recruitments in Schrenk spruce. Average minimum temperatures in February and August, and total precipitation in the previous August and January, had a positive effect on tree‐ring width, and several consecutive years of high minimum summer temperature and spring precipitation was a main factor favouring the establishment of P. schrenkiana following germination within the treeline ecotone. Both dendroclimatology and recruitment analysis were useful and compatible to understand and reconstruct treeline dynamics in the central Tianshan Mountains.     

Growth variation in Abies georgei var. smithii along altitudinal gradients in the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau

A network of nine Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii) ring-width chronologies was constructed from sites ranging in elevation from 3,550 to 4,390 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. High-elevation trees had lower growth rates than did low-elevation trees. The mean tree-ring series intercorrelation (RBAR) increased with elevation. Principal component analysis identified three elevation zones (around 3,600, 3,800, and >4,200 m a.s.l.) with distinctive tree-ring growth patterns. Five chronologies with elevation >4,200 m a.s.l. were highly correlated. Overall, the initiation of tree-ring growth in Smith fir is controlled by common climatic signals, such as July minimum temperature, across a broad altitudinal range. Precipitation was not a growth-limiting factor across stands. Regardless of differences in stand elevation, topographical aspect, and tree age, the radial growth of Smith fir trees was markedly similar in response to common climatic signals, perhaps as a result of the relatively high-elevation of these forests (above 3,550 m a.s.l.) and the abundant summer monsoon rainfall. In addition, radial tree growth along the altitudinal gradients was indicative of a recent warming trend on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.     

不同生境和去趋势方法下的祁连圆柏径向生长对气候的响应

利用青海不同生境祁连圆柏树木年轮样本,采用3种不同去趋势方法建立树轮年表,结合青海30个气象站的气象资料,分析不同生境和去趋势方法下祁连圆柏径向生长对气候的响应差异。结果表明,祁连山区,生长季前期的平均气温是祁连圆柏树木径向生长的主要限制性因子,NEP树轮标准化宽度年表与生长季前期冬季平均气温相关最好;在柴达木盆地,生长季降水量是该地区树木径向生长的限制性因子,SPL树轮年表对生长季降水量相关较好;在青南高原,祁连圆柏径向生长对春季温度响应最为敏感,而SPL年表与春季温度呈现明显的负相关关系,相关系数达-0.606;而在青海东部地区,祁连圆柏树木径向生长对气候的响应总体不显著。位于青海西部和北部的柴达木盆地和祁连山区祁连圆柏径向生长受西风气候的影响显著,尤其是柴达木盆地,其气候受西风主导;而青南高原受西南季风影响更为显著,该地区祁连圆柏径向生长同时受西南季风气候和海拔高度两方面影响;在青海东部,祁连圆柏径向生长受东亚季风影响更为显著。     

Different trends and divergent responses to climate factors in the radial growth of Abies georgei along elevations in the central Hengduan Mountains

Climate change has been unprecedented in the last half-century. Tree growth dynamics and responses to climate warming at different elevations vary by study area due to regional diversity in site-specific climatic conditions in the central Hengduan Mountains. A. georgei is the dominant species in high-elevation montane forests in the central Hengduan Mountains. To study the response of A. georgei radial growth to climate and identify tree growth trends at different elevations, tree-ring width chronologies at four elevations across the subalpine A. georgei forest belt were built and growth-climate relationships were analyzed. The primary findings of this study were as follows: (1) radial growth rates of A. georgei decreased with elevation; (2) warming alleviated the limitation of low temperatures and abundant precipitation on tree radial growth at the highest sampling site; and (3) unlike at other elevations, the trend of trees basal area increment (BAI) at the lowest sampling site showed a significant decline over the past 20 years. This suggests the presence of an elevational inflection point, likely between 3800 m and 4000 m, where tree growth trends diverge. These results confirmed that A. georgei at higher elevation in the central Hengduan Mountains currently benefits from higher temperatures. However, the effects of drought on A. georgei at lower elevations would cause radial growth to decrease with climate warming. Therefore, it is critical to establish effective management strategies based on how A. georgei responds to climate change at various elevations.     

长白山不同海拔树木生长对气候变化的响应差异

以长白落叶松和红松为例,探讨了长白山地区不同海拔树木生长对气候变化的响应。利用长白山北坡不同海拔4个长白落叶松样点和6个红松样点的树轮宽度资料建立差值年表,通过聚类分析、相关分析和响应分析等方法,研究树木生长特征及其气候响应。结果表明:两个树种年表的平均敏感度、树轮宽度指数的年际变率、信噪比等特征值较高,反映年表含有较强的环境信息。随海拔升高,长白落叶松年表特征值呈先下降后增加的趋势,红松年表特征值则呈先增加后下降的趋势。聚类分析将长白落叶松年表分成高、低海拔两类,红松年表分成高、中、低海拔三类。树木生长对气候响应存在海拔差异。高海拔长白落叶松生长受当年气温影响;低海拔长白落叶松生长对气候存在"滞后响应"。高海拔红松不仅受降水限制,且对气温有"滞后响应";中海拔红松不仅受气温限制,且对降水有"滞后响应";低海拔红松生长主要受气温限制。     

Tree growth–climate relationships of Juniperus tibetica along an altitudinal gradient on the southern Tibetan Plateau

The southern Tibetan Plateau forms the ecotone between forest areas and alpine steppes and thus, tree growth is expect to react sensitive to climate variability in this semi-humid region. We sampled 328 increment cores from 169 trees at two study sites at four elevations along altitudinal transects from 4,000 to 4,500 m a.s.l. to evaluate elevation-dependent tree growth–climate relationships of Juniperus tibetica. Standard dendrochronological statistical parameters like mean inter-series correlation (Rbar), expressed population signal as well as signal-to-noise ratio is not significantly correlated to elevation. Mean segment lengths and average growth rates of the tree-ring series increase with elevation. Correlation and response function analysis with available climate data indicate that elevation has no significant effect on tree growth–climate relationships. Instead, local tree growth is mainly driven by common regional climatic signals as it is also indicated by significant correlations between all chronologies over their common period of A.D. 1550–2010. Moisture variability during April–June has the highest impact on tree growth, even close to the upper tree limit.     

Abies spectabilis shows stable growth relations to temperature,but changing response to moisture conditions along an elevation gradient in the central Himalaya

A better understanding of growth-climate responses of high-elevation tree species across their distribution range is essential to devise an appropriate forest management and conservation strategies against adverse impacts of climate change. The present study evaluates how radial growth of Himalayan fir (Abies spectabilis D. Don) and its relation to climate varies with elevation in the Manaslu Mountain range in the central Himalaya. We developed tree-ring width chronologies of Himalayan fir from three elevational belts at the species’upper distribution limit (3750−3900 m), in the middle range (3500−3600 m), and at the lower distribution limit (3200−3300 m), and analyzed their associations with climatic factors. Tree growth of Himalayan fir varied synchronously across elevational belts, with recent growth increases observed at all elevations. Across the elevation gradient, radial growth correlated positively (negatively) with temperature (precipitation and standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index, SPEI-03) during the summer (July to September) season. However, the importance of summer (July to September) temperatures on radial growth decreased with elevation, whereas correlations with winter (previous November to current January) temperatures increased. Correlations with spring precipitation and SPEI-03 changed from positive to negative from low to high elevations. Moving correlation analysis revealed a persistent response of tree growth to May and August temperatures. However, growth response to spring moisture availability has strongly increased in recent decades, indicating that intensified spring drought may reduce growth rates of Himalayan fir at lower elevations. Under sufficient moisture conditions, increasing summer temperature might be beneficial for fir trees growing at all elevations, while trees growing at the upper treeline will take additional benefit from winter warming.     

芦芽山阳坡不同海拔华北落叶松径向生长对气候变化的响应

为研究树木生长对气候变化的响应状况,选取芦芽山阳坡的3个海拔高度建立了华北落叶松(Larix principis-rupprechtii)的树轮宽度年表。年表的统计参数表明,3条年表均为研究气候信息的可靠资料。结果表明,芦芽山阳坡华北落叶松的径向生长和生长与气候的关系均具有海拔差异,中海拔(2440 m)和高海拔(2540 m)的华北落叶松具有相似年际生长变化,而二者均与低海拔(2330 m)华北落叶松的年际生长不同。低海拔华北落叶松的生长与4月平均气温和上一年11月降水量显著负相关,而中海拔和高海拔的生长均与上一年10月平均气温和6月降水量显著负相关。通过年表与气候因子之间的滑动相关分析发现,3个海拔高度华北落叶松生长与气候因子的关系均不稳定,生长与气温条件之间的显著相关关系是随着气温升高而出现的。气温的升高引起了华北落叶松生长与气温因子关系的海拔差异,以及径向生长的海拔差异。这一结果对于气候变化对植被垂直梯度影响的研究具有一定参考价值。