Changes in radial tree growth for Picea abies, Larix decidua, Pinus cembra and Pinus uncinata near the alpine timberline since 1750

Changes in radial growth of the four coniferous species growing in the French Alps near the upper treeline are investigated. Thirty-seven populations of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.], European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) and mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Mill. ex Mirb.) were sampled by taking 1320 cores and analysing tree-ring widths. Sites were chosen in various climatic conditions (macroclimate and aspect) and on two kinds of bedrock in order to take into account the ecological behaviour of these species. Belledonne, Moyenne-Tarentaise, Haute-Maurienne and Briançonnais areas were sampled along increasing gradients of summer aridity and winter continentality. The calculation of time series after removing the age trend brings strong evidence for an increase in radial growth during the two last centuries, but with different stages and fluctuations for each species. This growth trend is significantly enhanced since 1860 for the spruce, and since 1920 for the two pine species. Furthermore, it also appears on Larix decidua with the same pattern despite periodical growth reduction due to attacks of the larch bud moth (Zeiraphera diniana Gn.). The analysis of ring-widths at a given cambial age reveals that this enhanced phenomenon is observed especially during the tree’s early years (25–75 years). The analysis of four regional climatic series, and three longer series of temperature (in farther single sites) reveals synchronous decadal fluctuations and an evident secular increase in minimum temperatures (especially in January and from July to October), that may be involved in tree-growth enhancement. Thermic amplitudes are significantly reduced during the whole growing period, what is more pronounced in Belledonne, the most oceanic region. Long term growth changes are well described by stepwise regression models, especially for the pine species. These models involved both a linear trend (CO₂ concentration or N-deposition) and low frequency of Turin monthly temperatures. However, they show different patterns than those observed from response functions at a yearly scale.     

Wood anatomy and tree growth covary in riparian ash forests along climatic and ecological gradients

Riparian ash forests subjected to seasonal drought are among the most endangered ecosystems in Europe. They are threatened by climate warming causing aridification and by land-use changes modifying river flow. To assess the impacts of these two stress factors on riparian forests, we studied radial growth and xylem anatomical traits in five narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) stands across wide climatic and ecological gradients from northern Italy to southern Portugal. Radial growth rates and earlywood hydraulic diameter (Dh) were directly correlated, whilst earlywood vessel density and growth rates were inversely associated. Ash growth positively responded to precipitation. Higher and lower rates of growth increase in response to precipitation were found in dry (annual precipitation 357–750 mm, annual water balance −39 to −48 mm) and wet (annual precipitation 1030 mm, annual water balance 27 mm) sites, respectively. Wet conditions in autumn and winter of the year prior to tree-ring formation lead to larger Dh values, except in the wet site where warmer conditions from prior autumn to current spring were positively associated to wider vessels. Growth was also enhanced by a higher river flow, reflecting higher soil moisture due to elevated groundwater table levels. Peaks in river flow from late winter to early spring increased Dh in dry-continental sites. Growth and potential hydraulic conductivity in drought-prone riparian ash forests are differently impacted by climate variability and river flow depending on site and hydrological conditions. Nevertheless, covariation between radial growth and the earlywood vessel diameter was found, regardless of site specific differences. Wood production and hydraulic conductivity are coordinated through the production of large earlywood vessels which may allow reaching higher growth rates.     

Land‐use changes as major drivers of mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Ram.) expansion in the Pyrenees

Aim To assess the spatial patterns of forest expansion (encroachment and densification) for mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Ram.) during the last 50 years at a whole mountain range scale by the study of different topographic and socio‐economic potential drivers in the current context of global change. Location The study area includes the whole distributional area of mountain pine in the Catalan Pyrenees (north‐east Spain). This represents more than 80 municipalities, covering a total area of 6018 km². Methods Forest cover was obtained by image reclassification of more than 200 pairs of aerial photographs taken in 1956 and 2006. Encroachment and densification were determined according to changes in forest cover, and were expressed as binary variables on a 150 × 150 m cell‐size grid. We then used logistic regression to analyse the effects of several topographic and socio‐economic variables on forest expansion. Results In the period analysed, mountain pine increased its surface coverage by 8898 ha (an increase of more than 16%). Mean canopy cover rose from 31.0% in 1956 to 55.6% in 2006. Most of the expansion was found on north‐facing slopes and at low altitudes. Socio‐economic factors arose as major factors in mountain pine expansion, as encroachment rates were higher in municipalities with greater population losses or weaker primary sector development. Main conclusions The spatial patterns of mountain pine expansion showed a good match with the main patterns of land‐use change in the Pyrenees, suggesting that land‐use changes have played a more important role than climate in driving forest dynamics at a landscape scale over the period studied. Further studies on forest expansion at a regional scale should incorporate patterns of land‐use changes to correctly interpret drivers of forest encroachment and densification.     

The potential of generalized additive modelling for the prediction of radial growth of Norway spruce from Central Germany

During the past decades managed forest ecosystems in Central Europe underwent vast changes, induced by extreme climate conditions and occasionally adverse forest management. Tree ring width patterns mirror these changes and thus have been widely examined as environmental archives and reliable empirical data sources in ‘tree growth modelling’. Dendrochronologists often suppose linear co-variation among the covariates, variable independence and homoscedasticity. Conventionally, these assumptions were achieved by eliminating biological age trends (detrending) and removing the autocorrelation from the time series (pre-whitening). Particularly detrending might be biased according to the scientific problem and sometimes inflexible age models. In this study, we tackle these issues and examine the suitability of a flexible Generalized Additive Model (GAM) on recently developed tree ring width time series of 30 Norway spruce stands (Picea abies [L.] H. Karst) from Central Germany.The model was established to simultaneously cope with the mentioned detrending issue, to unravel nonlinear climate-growth relationships and to predict mean ring width time series for spruce stands in the region. Particularly the latter was of primary interest, since recent forest planning relies on static yield tables that often underestimate the actual growth.The model reliably captured the empirical data, indicated by a small Generalized Cross Validation criterion (GCV = 0.045) and a deviance explained of 88.6 %. The flexible additive smoothers accounted for the social status of individual trees, captured low frequency variations of changing growth conditions adequately and displayed a rather flat biological age trend. The radial increment responded positively to summer season precipitation of the current and previous year. Positive temperature responses were found during the early vegetation period, whereas high summer season temperatures negatively affected the radial growth. The seasonal transition from spring to summer in June induced a shift in the climate response of the linear predictor, leading to a distinct negative effect of temperature and a no-role of precipitation on the linear predictor.Most important, utilizing the calibrated GAM for the purely climate-driven prediction of mean ring width time series from five independent spruce sites revealed proper coherencies. Herein, the mean ring width for sites located within the climatic-optimum for spruce growth were more exactly predicted than for sites with adverse spruce growth conditions. In addition, large mean ring widths were systematically underestimated, whereas small mean ring widths were precisely predicted. Overall, we strongly recommend GAMs as a powerful tool for the investigation of nonlinear climate-growth relationships and for the prediction of radial growth in managed forest ecosystems.     

Bioclimatic model of tree radial growth: application to the French Mediterranean Aleppo pine forests

The potential effects of global changes on forests are of increasing concern. Dendrochronology, which deals with long-term records of tree growth under natural environmental conditions, can be used to evaluate the impact of climatic change on forest productivity. However, assessment of climatic change impacts must be supported by accurate and reliable models of the relationships between climate and tree growth. In this study, a bioclimatic model is used to explore the relationships between tree radial growth and bioclimatic variables closely related to the biological functioning of a tree. This model is at an intermediate level of complexity between purely empirical and process-based models. The method is illustrated with data for 21 Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) stands grown under a Mediterranean climate in south-east France. The results show that Aleppo pine growth is mainly controlled by soil water availability during the growing season. The bioclimatic variable which best expresses the observed inter-annual tree growth variations is the actual evapotranspiration (AET). Four parameters were adjusted to simulate dendrochronological data: the soil water capacity, the wilting point, the minimum temperature for photosynthesis, and the end of the growing season. The bioclimatic model gives better results than the standard response function and provides better insight into the functional processes involved in tree growth. The convincing results obtained by the bioclimatic model as well as the limited numbers of parameters it requires demonstrate the feasibility of using it to explore future climatic change impacts on Aleppo pine forests.     

VS-oscilloscope: A new tool to parameterize tree radial growth based on climate conditions

It is generally assumed in dendroecological studies that annual tree-ring growth is adequately determined by a linear function of local or regional precipitation and temperature with a set of coefficients that are temporally invariant. However, various researchers have maintained that tree-ring records are the result of multivariate, often nonlinear biological and physical processes. To describe critical processes linking climate variables with tree-ring formation, the process-based tree-ring Vaganov–Shashkin model (VS-model) was successfully used. However, the VS-model is a complex tool requiring a considerable number of model parameters that should be re-estimated for each forest stand. Here we present a new visual approach of process-based tree-ring model parameterization (the so-called VS-oscilloscope) which allows the simulation of tree-ring growth and can be easily used by researchers and students. The VS-oscilloscope was tested on tree-ring data for two species (Larix gmeliniiand Picea obovata) growing in the permafrost zone of Central Siberia. The parameterization of the VS-model provided highly significant positive correlations (p < 0.0001) between simulated growth curves and original tree-ring chronologies for the period 1950–2009. The model outputs have shown differences in seasonal tree-ring growth between species that were well supported by the field observations. To better understand seasonal tree-ring growth and to verify the VS-model findings, a multi-year natural field study is needed, including seasonal observation of the thermo-hydrological regime of the soil, duration and rate of tracheid development, as well as measurements of their anatomical features.     

Delta blue intensity vs. maximum density: A case study using Pinus uncinata in the Pyrenees

We explore the potential of the delta blue intensity (DBI) parameter as a proxy of past summer temperatures using a well replicated (85 trees) chronology of Pinus uncinata from upper treeline in the Spanish Pyrenees. Principal component analysis, correlation response function analysis and Superposed Epoch Analysis show definitively that the DBI data are indistinguishable to other MXD datasets in the region and that DBI expresses a similarly “pure” time-stable climate signal as MXD when compared to their RW counterparts. Calibration r² values > 0.5 are attainable depending on period used. The signal strength of DBI data is weaker than MXD and behave more like RW data with ca. 19 trees being needed to attain an EPS value > 0.85. However, as the generation of DBI data is cheaper than MXD, this limitation is not deemed to be a serious issue. This pilot study suggests that robust reconstructions of past summer temperatures could be gained using DBI data at a much-reduced cost than relying on MXD. Future dendroclimatic efforts in the region therefore should focus on the measurement of this parameter and the expansion of the pinus ring-density network.     

Spatial differences in the radial growth responses of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia Linn.) to climate on the Loess Plateau,China

The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia Linn.) is the dominant tree species in the “grain for green” project on the Loess Plateau (LP) of China, and brings many ecological benefits to this planted region. However, there are concerns regarding its suitability as a plantation forest species in different regions of the LP. We used a dendroclimatological approach to investigate the radial growth response of black locust to varying climate in two sites on the LP with differing precipitation gradients. We took tree-ring samples from black locust in Yongshou County (in the semi-humid southern LP) and Shenmu County (in the semi-arid northern LP), and developed tree-ring width (TRW) chronologies for each. We performed moving correlation analyses between TRW chronologies and aggregated thermal (maximum temperature (TMX), minimum temperature (TMN), mean temperature (TMP)) and hydroclimatic factors (precipitation, self-calibrated Drought Severity Index (scPDSI), and humidity). The results demonstrated the increased influence of thermal factors during autumn, and the generally decreased influence of hydroclimatic factors on black locust radial growth in Yongshou, compared with the decreasing influence of thermal factors (during all seasons) and increasing influence of hydroclimatic factors (precipitation during summer, scPDSI and humidity during autumn) on black locust radial growth in Shenmu. The results indicated that black locust radial growth might benefit from the current climatic conditions in the southern LP. However, black locust radial growth stressed by water availability in the northern LP, which may reduce its vitality and productivity as climate warms in the future. These results have implications for regional forestry planning and ecological restoration strategies on the LP.     

Dendroclimatic analysis of Pinus peuce Griseb. at subalpine and treeline locations in Pirin Mountains,Bulgaria

Tree rings are a natural archive containing valuable information about environmental changes. Among the most sensitive ecosystems to such changes are high-mountain forests. Tree-ring series from such locations are exceptionally valuable both for climate reconstructions and for studying the effects of climate changes on forest ecosystems.The objective of our study is to present new long tree-ring width chronologies of Pinus peuce Griseb. from several locations at Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, to explore their correlation with monthly temperatures and precipitation in the research area and to assess their potential for climate reconstruction.We built three long-term index chronologies for the radial increment of P. peuce from treeline locations in the study region. The longest chronology spans 675 years. We studied the impact of monthly air temperature and precipitation on its growth for the past 86 years using multiple regression analysis. Our analysis shows that P. peuce growth is positively influenced by high temperatures at the end of the previous growing season, especially at the two sites in Banderitsa valley until the middle of the 1970s, and negatively affected by cold winters. In some of the sample plots its growth was also positively correlated with high summer temperatures. However, even at these high altitudes in some of the locations on steep slopes P. peuce showed signs of negative impact of drought during the hottest summer months (especially in August).Our chronologies contribute to the paleoclimatic record for southwestern Bulgaria, which could provide baseline information about past climate variability and improve our understanding of current and future environmental changes.     

Variation in radial growth responses to drought among species, site, and canopy strata

 Radial growth responses to drought were examined in the tree-ring records of six species growing within two locations of differing land-use history and soil moisture characteristics, and in overstory and understory canopy positions in northern Virginia. Tree species experienced differential ring-width reductions during or immediately following four severe drought periods occurring from 1930 to 1965 and were influenced by climatic variables including annual and summer temperatures, annual precipitation, and annual Palmer Drought Severity Index. Relative growth comparisons averaged across species before and after drought years indicated that understory trees on dry-mesic sites grew 11% faster after drought compared to pre-drought rates while mesic site trees in both canopy positions grew approximately 4% slower. Superposed epoch analysis indicated that Liriodendron tulipifera growing on mesic sites experienced greater ring-width reductions associated with drought than co-occurring, more drought-tolerant Quercus alba and Q. velutina. On dry-mesic sites, L. tulipifera also experienced greatly reduced growth as a result of drought but exhibited significant growth increases following individual drought events. Quercus alba was the only species that exhibited a consistent, significant ring-width decrease associated with all droughts on dry-mesic sites. In contrast, Pinus virginiana was least impacted by drought on dry-mesic sites but was much more impacted by drought on mesic sites, indicating a drought×site interaction for this species. Overstory Carya glabra and Q. alba experienced larger growth decreases during drought on dry-mesic versus mesic sites. Understory tree growth reductions did not differ between site types but were often significantly larger than overstory responses of the same species on mesic sites. Following drought, most trees exhibited growth reductions lasting 2–3 years, although several species experienced reductions lasting up to 6 years. The results of this study suggest that tree rings represent an important long-term proxy for leaf-level ecophysiological measurements of growth responses to drought periods. Received: 31 July 1996 / Accepted: 16 April 1997     

Pre-1930 unstable relationship between climate and tree-ring width of Pinus taiwanensis hayata in southeastern China

Although it has been widely recognized that tree-ring response to climate drivers may change over recent decades, often due to anthropogenic environment changes, there are fewer reports of such changes in earlier pre-warming periods. In this paper we report on the pre-1930 unstable relationship between climate and tree-ring width (TRW) of Pinus taiwanensis Hayata in southeastern China based on reliable long-term temperature data. TRW of P. taiwanensis is strongly controlled by temperatures in two seasons, previous spring to summer (March to August, mainly June to July) and previous winter to current spring (December to March). However, TRW are insensitive to previous spring to summer temperature between 1890 and 1930. Reduced summer temperature variability, changing regimes of spring-summer temperature and precipitation, and complicated tree physiological processes behind the complex growth-climate relationship are the more likely causes of this phenomenon. This study adds to the body of knowledge that lower climate sensitivity of tree rings is not specific to the most recent decades.     

Topographic influences on radial growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) at small spatial scales

Dendroecological and numerical methods were used to study the influence of topographic position on radial growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands exposed to soil dryness. The correlation structure of total tree-ring width and latewood width of eight scattered populations representing various topographic habitats (steep south-facing slopes, plateaus and hollows) within a rock-slide area (750 m a.s.l.) of about 1 km² was investigated by principal component analysis. Scatter plots of component loadings indicated that (i) total ring width and latewood width are influenced by various climatic factors, (ii) stands growing at similar topographic position show a high agreement in year-to-year variability of radial growth, and (iii) distinct effects of topographic features (slope aspect, slope magnitude) on tree growth are modified by local disturbances (erosion, grazing) and the age structure of stands. Furthermore, both the time series of component scores and non-metric multidimensional scaling of chronologies indicated years where extremely limiting or favorable climate conditions prevailed throughout the study area (pointer years). The influence of climate on tree growth in various topographic habitats was mediated through the influence of climatically stressful years. Because stands are located at sites with different levels of water stress, growth differences between chronologies are considered to be caused by site-specific susceptibility of tree growth to soil dryness. Significant correlations between precipitation in April to June and ring-width confirm that water availability is the primary growth-limiting factor within the study area. These small-scale variations in growth-climate relationships have significant implications for dendroclimatological studies. So paleoclimatic reconstructions based on tree rings will have to assure that an unbiased data set is used, which compensates for local growth-variabilities due to site related environmental stresses.     

Dendrochronological research of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) radial growth in vicinity of industrial pollution

The aim of this research is to investigate changes in the annual radial increment of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the vicinity of intensive (3–10 km) and moderate (11–20 km) industrial pollution during different growth periods (growth promotion, inhibition, and recovery). Low level of emission was beneficial for tree growth during the growth promotion period, and the annual radial increment in the zones of intensive and moderate pollution increased by approximately 15–25% and 10%, respectively. Severe loss was reported to forests during the growth inhibition period when nitrogen and sulphur dioxide emissions were 37–40 thousand (thou.) tons per year. About 40–45% tree radial increment loss was observed in the stands closest to the pollution source, and 15–20% loss was observed for the most distant stands. The stabilization of radial growth decrease and the beginning of recovery of damaged stands began in 1988–1992, when the annual amount of industrial emissions and environmental pollution were considerably reduced. The stabilization of radial growth and the initiation of recovery after pollution reduction were high for the most damaged stands. Their radial increment was stable and close to that of the control stands in 2000–2011. Stands with less damage growing further from the pollution source were recovered earlier, and their radial increment stabilized near the control increment in 1995–1999. The results of linear regression analysis demonstrated that the impact of pollution is different for stands growing at different distances from the plant, and the impact decreases with distance (R² = 0.78 and R² = 0.75, respectively; p < 0.05).     

Tree-rings to climate relationships in nineteen provenances of four black pines sub-species (Pinus nigra Arn.) growing in a common garden from Northwest Tunisia

In the Mediterranean region, the effects of climate change on tree growth have been more and more noticeable in recent decades. Pinus nigra is one of the most common mid-elevation pine in this region and one of the species most affected by increasing dryness. In Tunisia, in order to guide species selection for future reforestation of the Khroumirie Mountains, research studies are under way to improve knowledge of black pine ecology. The effects of interannual climate variations on radial growth were compared for 19 provenances of black pine in a 51-year-old common garden experiment in Souiniet (NW Tunisia, 492m) in a humid Mediterranean bioclimate. A significant positive correlation with April precipitation and a significant negative correlation with spring temperature were noted. A cool wet spring is beneficial to growth as it affects tree water balance at the onset of the growing season; in contrast, spring drought is responsible for low annual growth. Mild January–February temperatures have a positive influence on ring width as mild winters may foster photosynthesis and promote early resumption of cambial activity. Analysis of the pointer years showed that winter snow and hail are major factors limiting growth of black pine in the studied area. Despite overall similarities in ring width to climate relationships among provenances, differences observed attest to the interaction of the environment and genetic control of black pine diameter growth.     

Population history of European mountain pines Pinus mugo and Pinus uncinata revealed by mitochondrial DNA markers

The dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo) and the Pyrenean pine (P. uncinata) constitute a pair of closely related coniferous taxa of poorly resolved evolutionary history and affinity, which inhabit numerous stands scattered over subalpine environments of European mountain ranges. The aim of the study was to investigate their phylogeography and mutual relationships, shedding new light on their taxonomy and the past of the alpine flora. Previous evolutionary reconstructions of the mountain pines relied mainly on bi‐parentally or paternally inherited markers that quickly homogenize between populations, showing rather shallow and recent differentiation of gene pools. Therefore, to contrast these pictures, we analyzed diversity and differentiation within a large set of new mitochondrial loci, inherited in maternal line and distributed by seeds at short geographical distances. Samples of the taxa were taken from 27 natural populations representing their range‐wide distributions—17 populations of P. mugo and 10 of P. uncinata. All markers appeared polymorphic, providing a total of 31 multilocus haplotypes. Two of the loci proved to be species‐diagnostic and nearly fixed between analyzed samples. Distribution of mitotypes indicate that allopatric populations of the taxa constitute separate mitochondrial haplogroups, and the two mountain pines have independent evolutionary history. However, introgression of P. mugo mitotypes by P. uncinata specimens revealed in the species contact zone in Western Alps shows that their speciation is not fully completed.     

Response of white birch (Betula platyphylla Sukaczev) to temperature and precipitation in the mountain forest steppe and taiga of northern Mongolia

The mountain forest steppe and taiga in northern Mongolia have experienced a forest decline in area and quality since the end of the last century. Changes in land use, climate, fire frequency and pest occurrence are considered to be the main drivers of this vegetation shift and desertification. Because this region is the source for major rivers, is home to a unique flora and fauna and represents an important source of timber for Mongolia, the ability of different tree species to respond to these changes and regenerate is of increasing interest. Our contribution focuses on the climate-growth relationship of old and young birch trees from two valleys in the Mongolian province of Selenge Aimag.The research site Bugant, located in the Western Khentey Mountains, was the most important logging centre in Mongolia during socialist times. Today, the vegetation is dominated by succession forests of light taiga. The research site Altansumber, on the border of the Sant and Khushat soum, is dominated by light taiga and mountain forest steppe. Traditional nomads who depend on these forests for different reasons inhabit this area.Wood cores were sampled and chronologies of young and old birch trees at Bugant and Altansumber were created. Climate data were obtained from the Eroo station, which is known in the region for its long and reliable climate record. We analysed the climate-growth relationships of the chronologies from 1962 to 2009. At both sites and in both age classes, correlations with temperature were predominantly negative, particularly in April (Bugant, south- and east-facing slopes) and May (Altansumber, north-facing slopes). Precipitation of the late summer of the previous year (August/September) positively correlated with the growth of birch at Altansumber. We assume that the significant negative correlation between winter precipitation (December/January) and the growth of old birches at both sites is due to positive effects of snow cover on the survival rate of herbivorous insect populations. Our results indicate that during the early vegetation period, younger birch trees are more dependent on water availability than older ones. Negative pointer years were characterized by below-average precipitation during the current summer period and above-average spring temperatures. For the old trees, positive pointer years were characterized by above-average summer precipitation. We conclude that water availability is the most crucial factor for the growth of white birch in northern Mongolia.     

Observed and projected impacts of climate on radial growth of three endangered conifers in northern Mexico indicate high vulnerability of drought-sensitive species from mesic habitats

A decline in productivity and radial growth in conifer forests from mesic areas has been associated with increased drought stress induced by climate warming. Nevertheless, studies showing how vulnerable tree species will be in response to forecasted warming conditions are scarce in such mesic habitats. Here we address this issue by analyzing how growth responds to drought and to observed and projected climate conditions in a conifer forest from northern Mexico, which is a hotspot of conifer diversity. We quantify the trends in radial growth (quantified as basal area increment, BAI) of three species (Abies durangensis, Picea chihuahuana, Cupressus lusitanica) using dendrochronology and a process-based model of tree growth. Growth decreased in A. durangensis and P. chihuahuana from the late 1980s onwards in response to warmer and drier conditions, whereas C. lusitanica growth showed very low sensitivity to precipitation and increased as temperature did. Winter-spring dry conditions adversely affected the growth of A. durangensis and P. chihuahuana. Our modeling approach anticipates growth reductions and an increase in the vulnerability of A. durangensis and the endangered P. chihuahuana against the warmer and more arid conditions predicted after the 2050s. Future warmer and drier climatic conditions could reduce the productivity and lead to growth decline of these mesic conifer forests triggering dieback episodes in highly drought-sensitive species as A. durangensis and P. chihuahuana.     

Dispersal limitation and spatial scale affect model based projections of Pinus uncinata response to climate change in the Pyrenees

Species Distribution Models (SDMs) were employed to assess the potential impact of climate change on the distribution of Pinus uncinata in the Pyrenees, where it is the dominant tree species in subalpine forest and alpine tree lines. Predicting forest response to climate change is a challenging task in mountain regions but also a conservation priority. We examined the potential impact of spatial scale on SDM projections by conducting all analyses at four spatial resolutions. We further examined the potential effect of dispersal constraints by applying a threshold distance of maximal advancement derived from a spatially explicit, individual‐based simulation model of tree line dynamics. Under current conditions, SDMs including climatic factors related to stress or growth limitation performed best. These models were then employed to project P. uncinata distribution under two emission scenarios, using data generated from several regional climate models. At the end of this century, P. uncinata is expected to migrate northward and upward, occupying habitat currently inhabited by alpine plant species. However, consideration of dispersal limitation and/or changing the spatial resolution of the analysis modified the assessment of climate change impact on mountain ecosystems, especially in the case of estimates of colonization and extinction at the regional scale. Our study highlights the need to improve the characterization of biological processes within SDMs, as well as to consider simultaneously different scales when assessing potential habitat loss under future climate conditions.     

Teleconnections and edaphoclimatic effects on tree growth of Cedrela odorata L. in a seasonally dry tropical forest in Brazil

The Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) present very high biodiversity and a number of tree species that are adapted to prolonged periods of water stress. Considering tree ring formation is mainly driven by seasonal variation in precipitation in tropical environments, tree-ring studies from STDF can provide important contributions to understanding how these forests are responding to climate variations. In the present study, we demonstrate the influence of edaphoclimatic variables (precipitation, air temperature and soil water deficit-SWD) and the ocean teleconnections (Tropical Southern Atlantic-TSA, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation-AMO, Western Hemisphere Warm Pool-WHWP and El Niño 3.4) on Cedrela odorata L. growth from a SDTF of northeastern Brazil. We used standard dendrochronological methods to develop an 89-year-long ring-width index chronology. The climate sensitivity of C. odorata was assessed through Pearson's correlation tests and linear regressions, which allowed to identify the determinant months (cause-effect) of each variable on the chronology. Tree growth was positively correlated with precipitation and negatively correlated with air temperature and SWD, particularly during the rainy season (March to August). In parallel, we identified that extremely dry years can contribute to missing rings, exposing the lack of growth in C. odorata caused by water stress. Among the oceanic variables, all of them showed a negative effect on radial growth of C. odorata, except for TSA, which had no significant effect. Tree growth is constrained in years with strong El Niño and high values of AMO index during the rainy months (May, June and October). However, the WHWP showed a more pronounced negative effect in the beginning of the dry season (September). Our findings add valuable information on C. odorata responses to hydrological seasonality from SDTF and the fluctuations in oceanic teleconnections, which in turn, influence the rainfall dynamics in northeastern Brazil.     

Slow understory redevelopment after clearcutting in high mountain forests

Besides natural tree regeneration itself, the development of the forest understory community is highly indicative of the ecological recovery of forest stands post-harvesting, and therefore of the sustainability of forest management. High mountain forests might show particularly slow recovery of the understory plant community because of harsh environmental conditions. We compared understory community richness and composition among three age classes of forest stands in the subalpine Engelmann Spruce–Subalpine Fir zone in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Species composition was found to differ significantly between mature stands (>110 years old and never harvested) and both recent clearcuts (5–8 years old) and the oldest clearcuts present in the study area (second growth: 24–28 years old). A non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination revealed no unidirectional return of species composition in harvested stands towards that of mature forest; indeed, plots in recent clearcuts and second growth stands were similar to one another and clearly separated from the mature stands. Indicator Species Analysis revealed that moss species were particularly indicative of mature forest, with four moss species being common in mature stands but absent from both younger stages. Compared to what has been reported for lower elevation coniferous forests, e.g. in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, redevelopment of the understory appears to be slow after harvesting in these high elevation mountain forests. Rotation intervals that consider the natural temporal pattern of species turnover and the occurrence interval of major natural disturbances (here: fire) should provide effective approaches to sustainable forest management of these forests.