Classification of ultracontinental boreal forests in central Yakutia

Using the Braun-Blanquet approach, five associations of boreal forests were distinguished in central Yakutia, the most continental part of eastern Siberia. Ecological features of the syntaxa were explained with the use of the DCA ordination of 50 relevés. All available data from eastern Siberia were involved in the study for syntaxonomic analysis. Central Yakutian boreal forests were classified into two classes:Rhytidio-Laricetea sibiricae Korotkov etErmakov 1999 — ultracontinental light coniferous hemiboreal forests, andVaccinio-Piceetea Br.-Bl. inBr.-Bl. et al. 1939 — typical coniferous taiga forests of northern Eurasia. A new concept of higher syntaxonomic units of the classVaccinio-Piceetea in eastern Siberia has been developed. Three orders represent the diversity of taiga forests: (1)Cladonio-Vaccinietalia Kielland-Lund 1967 (with alliancesHieracio umbellati-Pinion sylvestris Anenkhonov etChytry 1998 andSaxifrago bronchialis-Pinion sylvestris all. nov.) — light coniferous boreal forests occurring in dry and moderately dry oligotrophic sites in various climatic sectors of Northern Eurasia; (2)Lathyro humilis-Laricetalia cajanderi ord. nov. (with alliancesAulacomnio acuminati-Laricion cajanderi all. nov. andRhododendro daurici-Laricion gmelinii all. nov.) — zonal boreal forests with xeric elements, which are typical of regions of northern Asia with cold, dry ultracontinental climate; (3)Ledo-Laricetalia cajanderi ord. prov. (with allianceLedo-Laricion cajanderi prov.) — North Eurasian boreal forests occurring in cold sites with excessive soil moisture, sometimes water-logged. Phytogeography and ecology of these orders are discussed in comparison with other regions of northern Asia.     

Phytosociological study of thePicea jezoensis forests of the far east

Forest communities dominated byPicea jezoensis (Yezo spruce) are described from across their entire distributional range in eastern Asia, including the territories of the Russian Far East and Japan. A total of 476 relevés are used representing the following dominant types of spruce forests: pureP. jezoensis, mixedP. jezoensis andAbies sachalinensis, mixedP. jezoensis andAbies nephrolepis, and purePicea glehnii communities. The vegetation is classified into 11 associations, 2 community types, 6 subassociations, 25 variants and 8 subvariants. Nine associations, including theAsaro heterotropoidis-Abietetum sachalinensis, Weigelo middendorffianae-Piceetum jezoensis, Lysichito-Piceetum glehnii, Swido albae-Piceetum obovatae, Oplopanaco elati-Piceetum jezoensis, Philadelpho tenuifolii-Piceetum jezoensis, Vaccinio-Piceetum jezoensis, Rhododendro aurei-Piceetum jezoensis, andMoneseto uniflorae-Piceetum jezoensis, are described for the first time. The ecology and structure of all communities are described and their syntaxonomy discussed. The communities are placed in three alliances,Piceion jezoensis, Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceion jezoensis andPino pumilae-Piceion jezoensis, all. nov. All of the communities described are considered to belong to the orderAbieti-Piceetalia of the classVaccinio-Piceetea.     

A comparative phytosociological study of the subalpine coniferous forests in northeastern Asia

Previous classification systems of the subalpine coniferous forests, belonging to the class Vaccinio-Piceetea Br.-Bl. 1939, in northeastern Asia were reviewed based on phytosociological data of Korea and Japan. A new order, the Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceetalia jezoensis was proposed for the subalpine coniferous forests in the continental part of northeastern Asia. Its distribution range and subordinate vegetation units are as follows:Order Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceetalia jezoensis ordo nov.In Korea:Alliance Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceion jezoensis Song 1991Association Taxo-Pinetum pumilae Song et Nakanishi 1985Association Thujo-Abietetum nephrolepidis Song 1991Association Abieti koreanae-Piceetum jezoensis Song 1991Alliance Abietion koreanae Song 1991Association Saso-Abietetum koreanae Song et Nakanishi 1985Association Betulo saitoanae-Abietetum koreanae (Song et Nakanishi 1985) em. Song 1991In northeast China and Maritime Province of Siberia, U.S.S.R.: (one separate alliance level or the same alliance as Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceion jezoensis)Formation Abies nephrolepis form. (Wu 1980)Formation Picea jezoensis-Abies nephrolepis form. (Wu 1980)Generally the Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceetalia jezoensis develops under the dry and cool continental climate and on the monophylogenic Dark Brown Conifer Soil Group derived mostly from granite and granitic gneiss. The subalpine or subarctic coniferous forests in Hokkaido, Sakhalin and Southern Kuriles may also belong to the Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceetalia jezoensis because of their floristic composition and the historical relevance of plant geography. The subordinate vegetation units are as follows:Alliance Piceion jezoensis Suz.-Tok. ex Jinno et Suzuki 1973Association Piceo-Abietetum sachalinensis Ohba 1967Association Piceetum glehnii Suz.-Tok. ex Miyawaki 1988The Abieti veitchii-Piceetalia jezoensis hondoensis Miyawaki et al. 1968 seems to fit only to the subalpine coniferous forests of Honshu and Shikoku of the Japanese Archipelago.     

Structure and Composition of Natural Gmelin Larch (Larix gmelinii var. gmelinii) Forests in Response to Spatial Climatic Changes

Background

Many theoretical researches predicted that the larch species would decrease drastically in China under future climatic changes. However, responses of the structural and compositional changes of Gmelin larch (Larix gmelinii var. gmelinii) forests to climatic changes have rarely been reported.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Field survey was conducted to examine the structures and compositions of natural Gmelin larch forests along a climatic gradient. Stepwise linear regression analyses incorporating linear and quadratic components of climatic and non-climatic factors were performed on the structural and compositional attributes of those natural Gmelin larch forests. Isothermality, Max Temperature of Warmest Month (TempWarmestMonth), Precipitation of Wettest Month (PrecipWettestMonth), Precipitation Seasonality (PrecipSeasonality) and Precipitation of Driest Quarter (PrecipDriestQuarter) were observed to be effective climatic factors in controlling structure and composition of Gmelin larch forests. Isothermality significantly affected total basal area of larch, while TempWarmestMonth, PrecipWettestMonth and PrecipSeasonality significantly affected total basal area of Mongolian pine, and PrecipDriestQuarter significantly affected mean DBH of larch, stand density of larch and total basal area of spruce and fir.

Conclusions/Significance

The summer and winter temperatures and precipitations are all predicted to increase in future in Northeast China. Our results showed the increase of total basal area of spruce and fir, the suppression of regeneration and the decrease of stand density of larch under increased winter precipitation, and the decrease of total basal area of larch under increased summer temperature in the region of current Gmelin larch forest. Therefore, we suggest that larch would decrease and spruce and fir would increase in the region of future Gmelin larch forest.     

The influence of fire on carbon distribution and net primary production of boreal Larix gmelinii forests in north-eastern China

The boreal larch forest of Eurasia is a widespread forest ecosystem and plays an important role in the carbon budget of boreal forests. However, few carbon budgets exist for these forests, and the effects of wildfire, the dominant natural disturbance in this region, on carbon budgets are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of wildfire on carbon distribution and net primary production (NPP) for three major Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) forest ecosystems in Tahe, Daxing'anling, north‐eastern China: Larix gmelinii–Ledum palustre, Larix gmelinii–grass and Larix gmelinii–Rhododendron dahurica forests. The experimental design included mature forests (unburned), and lightly and heavily burned forests from the 1.3‐million‐ha 1987 wildfire. We measured carbon distribution and above‐ground NPP, and estimated fine root production from literature values. Total ecosystem carbon content for the mature forests was greatest for Larix–Ledum forests (251.4 t C ha^?1) and smallest for Larix–grass forests (123.8 t C ha^?1). Larix–Ledum forests contained the smallest vegetation carbon (13.5%), while Larix–Rhododendron contained the largest vegetation carbon (63.1%). Fires tended to transfer carbon from vegetation to detritus and soil. Total NPP did not differ significantly between the lightly burned and unburned stands, and averaged 1.58, 1.29 and 1.01 t C ha^?1 year^?1 for Larix–grass, Larix–Rhododendron and Larix–Ledum lightly burned stands, respectively. Above‐ground net primary production (ANPP) of heavily burned stands was 92–95% less than unburned and lightly burned stands. The estimated carbon loss during the 1987 fire showed substantial variability among forest types and fire severity levels. Depending upon the assumptions made about the fraction of the landscape occupied by the three larch forest types, the 1987 conflagration in north‐east China released 2.5 × 10⁷?4.9 × 10⁷ t C to the atmosphere. This study illustrates the need to distinguish between the different larch forests for developing general carbon budgets.     

Seed-specific identification of Larix gmelinii,Larix olgensis,and Larix principis-rupprechtii using sequence-characterised amplified region markers

Larix gmelinii, Larix olgensis, and Larix principis-rupprechtii are the three native and sympatric larch species in North China, and each of these species has a distinctive ecological niche. It is difficult to identify them based only on certain morphological characters, particularly the seed appearance. In this study, the seed endosperms of these three larch species were analysed using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique to screen for interspecific differences. The following three RAPD markers linked to species-specific segments were observed in the different species: 1475-bp (Larix gmelinii and L. olgensis), 505-bp (Larix principis-rupprechtii), and 1121-bp (Larix gmelinii) markers. The three seed-specific fragments amplified by the RAPD markers were sequenced, and the sequences were used to design and synthesise species-specific SCAR markers. The size of the SCAR fragments was concordant with that of the RAPD species-specific fragments. Therefore, these SCAR markers can be used to identify the seeds of different larch species, thereby providing a new molecular tool for the identification of larch seeds that leads to considerable savings in terms of time and economic resources.     

Carbon Accumulation Patterns During Post-Fire Succession in Cajander Larch (Larix cajanderi) Forests of Siberia

Increased fire activity within boreal forests could affect global terrestrial carbon (C) stocks by decreasing stand age or altering tree recruitment, leading to patterns of forest regrowth that differ from those of pre-fire stands. To improve our understanding of post-fire C accumulation patterns within boreal forests, we evaluated above- and belowground C pools within 17 Cajander larch (Larix cajanderi) stands of northeastern Siberia that varied in both years since fire and stand density. Early-successional stands (<20-year old) exhibited low larch recruitment, and consequently, low density, aboveground larch biomass, and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP_tree). Mid-successional stands (21- to 70-year old) were even-aged with considerable variability in stand density. High-density mid-successional stands had 21 times faster rates of ANPP_tree than low-density stands (252 vs. 12?g?C?m^?2?y^?1) and 26 times more C in aboveground larch biomass (2,186 vs. 85?g?C?m^?2). Density had little effect on total soil C pools. During late-succession (>70-year old), aboveground larch biomass, ANPP_tree, and soil organic layer C pools increased with stand age. These stands were low density and multi-aged, containing both mature trees and new recruits. The rapid accumulation of aboveground larch biomass in high-density, mid-successional stands allowed them to obtain C stocks similar to those in much older low-density stands (~8,000?g?C?m^?2). If fire frequency increases without altering stand density, landscape-level C storage could decline, but if larch density also increases, large aboveground C pools within high-density stands could compensate for a shorter successional cycle.     

Cytoplasmic DNA variation and biogeography of Larix Mill. in Northeast Asia

Range‐wide variation in 54 populations of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and related taxa in Northeast Asia was assessed with four mitochondrial PCR‐RFLP and five chloroplast SSR markers. Eleven mitotypes and 115 chlorotypes were detected. The highest diversity was observed in the southern Russian Far East where hybrids of L. gmelinii, L. olgensis and L. kamtschatica are distributed. In contrast, only two mitotypes occurred in L. cajanderi and L. gmelinii. The Japanese larch (L. kaempferi) was found to be closely related to populations of L. kamtschatica inhabiting the Kuril Islands and South Sakhalin, populations from the northern part of Sakhalin being more closely related to continental species. In general, both mitochondrial (G_ST = 0.786; N_ST = 0.823) and chloroplast (G_ST = 0.144; R_ST = 0.432) markers showed a strong phylogeographical structure and evidence of isolation‐by‐distance. Yet both markers did not allow a clear delineation of species borders. In particular, and contrary to expectations, cpDNA was not significantly better than mtDNA at delineating species borders. This lack of concordance between morphological species and molecular markers could reflect extensive ancestral haplotype sharing and past and ongoing introgression. Finally the distribution of mtDNA and cpDNA variation suggests the presence of several refugia during Pleistocene glacial intervals. In particular, mtDNA and cpDNA reveal weak but visible differentiation between L. gmelinii and L. cajanderi, suggesting independent glacial histories of these species.     

Species-specific growth-climate responses of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) in the Greater Khingan Range,northeast China

Responses of tree growth to climate are usually spatially heterogeneous. Besides regionally varying external environments, species specificity is a crucial factor in determining said spatial heterogeneity. A better understanding of this species specificity would improve our estimations of the warming effects on forests. In this study, we selected two widely-distributed boreal conifers, Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica), to compare their growth-climate responses, including long-term growth-climate correlations and short-term growth resilience to drought. We sampled 160 trees and 481 tree-ring cores from the two species in two pure and two mixed forests, located in the Greater Khingan Range, northeast China. We found that Dahurian larch was generally positively correlated with spring temperature and negatively correlated with summer temperature. In contrast, Mongolian pine was more sensitive to summer moisture. Our results suggest that the main climatic limitations were low spring temperatures for Dahurian larch and summer moisture deficits for Mongolian pine. Dahurian larch represented higher growth resistance to drought, while Mongolia pine represented higher recovery. Based on this, we inferred that Dahurian larch was more vulnerable to extreme droughts, while Mongolian pine was more vulnerable to frequent droughts. We also demonstrated the effects of forest type on growth-climate responses. The negative effects of summer temperatures on Mongolian pine seemed to be more significant in mixed forests. As warming continued, Mongolian pine in this area would suffer severer moisture deficits, especially when coexisting with Dahurian larch. Our results suggest that Dahurian larch gained an advantage in the competition with Mongolian pine during high moisture stress. Driven by the warming trends, the species specificity in growth response would ultimately promote the separation of the two species in distribution. This study will help improve our estimations of the warming effects on forests and develop more species-targeted forest management practices.     

Syntaxonomy of vegetation of the Svyatoi Nos peninsula, Lake Baikal 2. Forests and krummholz in comparison with other regions of northern Buryatia

Using the Braun-Blanquet approach, 7 plant communities of forests and 3 communities of krummholz were distinguished on the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula on the eastern coast of Lake Baikal. Dominant species of these communities areAbies sibirica, Larix sibirica, Pinus sibirica, P. sylvestris, P. pumila andBetula divaricata. The data from Svyatoi Nos were combined with all the available data from the northern part of the Republic of Buryatia (289 relevés) and classified into 23 communities. These have been assigned to the following alliances:Aconito rubicundi-Abietion sibiricae—floodplain forests with tall forbs and the relict occurrence of a few nemoral species,Pino sibiricae-Laricion sibiricae—mesic forests with (sub-Atlantic) boreal species and abundant mosses,Vaccinio-Pinion pumilae—krummholz communities of NE Asian distribution,Cladonio stellaris-Laricion gmelinii—Larix gmelinii dominated open forests on permafrosts with NE Asian distribution, andHieracio umbellati-Pinion sylvestris—xeric forests with southern Siberian species. Phytogeographical affinities of these alliances are discussed and a system of high-ranked syntaxa (orders, classes) is proposed for the northern Buryatian forests and krummholz.     

Contrasting climate-growth relationship between Larix gmelinii and Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica along a latitudinal gradient in Daxing’an Mountains,China

The Daxing’an Mountains is one of the areas with the most serious climate warming in northern China. Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and Mongolian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) are two major coniferous species in boreal forests of the region. Their growth-climate relationship is crucial for understanding the effects of climate change on boreal forest ecosystems. To examine and compare the changes of climate-growth relationship between larch and pine, a total of 418 tree-ring cores of the two species were collected at six sites in the Daxing’an Mountains, and the tree-ring chronologies were developed. The results showed that water availability (Palmer Drought Severity Index, PDSI) played a key role in the stable growth of larch and pine. The temperature and precipitation in January, June-August are important factors affecting the radial growth of the two coniferous species along the latitude gradient. The correlation coefficients of growth and the seasonal temperature and precipitation of larch and pine showed a completely opposite trend with the increase of latitude. In summer and autumn, the correlation coefficients between larch growth and seasonal mean temperature decreased first and then increased with the increase of latitude, while that of pine, on the contrary, increased first and then decreased. In winter, spring and autumn, the correlation coefficients between larch growth and seasonal total precipitation decreased first and then increased with the increase of latitude, while that of pine was opposite. However, the correlation coefficients between larch and pine growth and PDSI showed the same trend with the increase of latitude, decreasing at first and then increasing. Before and after rapid warming (around 1980), the correlation coefficients between larch and pine growth and PDSI showed a completely opposite change. Our findings emphasize that the growth-climate relationships of Dahurian larch and Mongolian Scotts pine shows an opposite trend with latitude, which means that the two species may exhibit a completely opposite response with climate change along the latitude gradient.     

Molecular cytogenetic analysis of Siberian Larix species by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Karyotypes of three Larix species (L. sibirica, L. gmelinii, and L. cajanderi) were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 45S and 5S ribosomal RNA gene probes and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. Two major 45S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) loci (per haploid genome) have been observed in the intercalary regions of two metacentric chromosomes, III and IV, of L. sibirica; in addition to them, minor nucleolus organizing regions (NORs) were mapped in pericentromeric regions of chromosomes I, II, VI, and XII. Two closely related species, L. gmelinii and L. cajanderi, showed similar hybridization patterns; both species possessed an additional major locus of 45S rDNA in the distal region of the long arm of submetacentric chromosome VII that is absent in L. sibirica. Only one locus of the 5S rDNA was found in all larch species we studied; it was located in the distal region of the chromosome III short arm, which also carried the major NOR in the opposite arm. This chromosome containing major loci of the two ribosomal RNA gene families can serve as a marker of the genus Larix. The intra- and interspecific karyotype diversity in the genus Larix is discussed.     

Investigation of physicochemical properties of arabinogalactan of different larch species

Samples of arabinogalactan (AG) were isolated by aqueous extraction from wood of different larch species (Larix sibirica Ledeb., Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr., Larix cajanderi Mayr., and Larix olgensis var. Koreana) and studied by HPLC, IR spectroscopy, and quantitative ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The wood of the studied larch species was shown to contain significant amount of arabinogalactan (10–17% of the a.d.w. mass) and could be a source of its industrial production. The studied AG samples had similar structural and molecular-mass characteristics. This fact could facilitate the product standardization during its industrial production both from the wood of a single larch species and from mixed raw materials.     

N fertilization affects on soil respiration, microbial biomass and root respiration in Larix gmelinii and Fraxinus mandshurica plantations in China

The response of belowground biological processes to soil N availability in Larix gmelinii (larch) and Fraxinus mandshurica (ash) plantations was studied. Soil and root respiration were measured with Li-Cor 6400 and gas-phase O₂ electrodes, respectively. Compared with the control, N fertilization induced the decreases of fine root biomass by 52% and 25%, and soil respiration by 30% and 24% in larch and ash plantations, respectively. The average soil microbial biomass C and N were decreased by 29% and 42% under larch stand and 39% and 47% under ash stand, respectively. While the fine root tissue N concentration under fertilized plots was higher 26% and 12% than that under control plots, respectively, the average fine root respiration rates were increased by 10% and 13% in larch and ash stands under fertilized plot, respectively. Soil respiration rates showed significantly positive exponential relationships with soil temperature, and a seasonal dynamic. These findings suggest that N fertilization can suppress fine root biomass at five branch orders (<2 mm in diameter), soil respiration, and soil microbial biomass C and N, and alter soil microbial communities in L. gmelinii and F. mandshurica plantations.     

Soil-moisture conditions indicated by field-layer plants help identify vulnerable forests in the forest-steppe of semi-arid Southern Siberia

High variability in soil-moisture conditions is typical for semi-arid forest-steppe ecosystems where precipitation varies greatly over time. Plant species that inhabit these environments integrate responses to broadly fluctuating wetness conditions. Indirect assessment of contrasting habitat wetness based on plant indicator values, species frequency, and species coverage was carried out in two sites representing the larch (Larix sibirica) and pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest-steppe communities. For the larch forest-steppe, we found that plant community composition and spatial structure depended strongly on wetness. In addition, we found that the vegetation was clearly differentiated into forest stands and steppe communities, depending on the slope aspect. There was also a strong correlation between dissimilarities of species composition and differences in habitat wetness revealed in the larch forest-steppe. In contrast, soil properties, such as gravel and stone content were found to be a key factor in the spatial distribution of plant species composition in the pine-forest-steppe communities. Indirect assessment of moisture conditions in the forest-steppe habitats, based on the field-layer plant species, was found to be preferable for indicating soil water deficits in the forest. Furthermore, as long-term observational data is often lacking, indirect assessment of the forest-steppe vegetation provides an opportunity to identify vulnerable forests at the marginal distribution. Based on indirect assessments of soil-moisture conditions, and taking into account differences in potential drought resistance between larch and pine forests, we concluded that increasing aridity will cause the replacement of Siberian larch by Scots pine in the South Siberian forest-steppe landscape. Consequently, in the future it is likely that forest-steppe typological diversity will decrease, and the semi-arid landscape may become more monotonous.     

大兴安岭不同纬度兴安落叶松生长对干旱适应性及生长衰退的差异

气候变暖引起干旱事件发生频率和强度增加,由此导致全球部分森林出现衰退和死亡的现象已被广泛报道。然而由于不同地区森林对水分亏缺适应性不同,需要从区域尺度对森林适应干旱事件的特征进行详细研究。在中国东北的森林地区中,大兴安岭在过去几十年中变暖速度最快。以落叶松为主的大兴安岭森林,作为中国唯一的北方森林,具有重要的生态意义。尤其是在全球变暖极大地影响水条件的情况下,了解其对缺水的适应非常重要。通过树木年轮学方法分析比较不同纬度(47°17′—51°17′N)兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii)径向生长变化率和树木生长对极端干旱的适应性特征(抵抗力(Rt)、恢复力(Rc)和恢复弹力(Rs))。结果表明：不同纬度兴安落叶松对干旱的应对策略呈现共同特征表现为：(1)研究区不同纬度的兴安落叶松生长均与当年生长季7和8月PDSI显著正相关(P<0.05);(2)大径级树木对干旱的抵抗力和恢复弹力更低,对干旱的适应能力更弱。不同纬度兴安落叶松对干旱的应对策略呈现差异性表现：(1)兴安落叶松对干旱的抵抗力和恢复弹力随纬度升高而降低,恢复力随纬度升高而增加;(2)研究区范围内较高纬度的兴安落叶松...     

Morphological variability and quality of seeds of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> (Rupr.) Rupr.

The results of studying the variability of morphological features and quality of seeds of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. in Eastern Siberia are presented in this paper. The main regularities and characteristics of the variability of some qualitative and quantitative features of this larch species were obtained. The perspectives for selection of more productive stands of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. in Eastern Siberia were defined.     

Larch chromosomal mosaicism

Karyological study of larch population members from different parts of the Larix olgensis L. Henry areal in the Primorskii krai has been carried out. The main amount of chromosomes for larch as n = 12 (2n = 24) has been confirmed. Mixoploidy was observed in all studied populations. The difference of individuals from the larch areal based on the cell amount with a different level of ploidity has been found in the population of L. olgensis locus classicus and both L. sibirica and L. gmelinii, which is probably a consequence of their hybrid nature.     

Wildfires affect tree growth and resilience in Northeastern China natural Dahurian larch forests: A dendrochronological perspective

Wildfires are natural and ubiquitous disturbances in boreal forests. Assessing their impacts on tree growth and resilience are particularly important to recognize the adaptation strategies of fire-tolerant species and forest succession in fire conditions. To date, the growth resilience of fire-tolerant species in boreal forests remains largely unquantified, and the drivers of resilience are poorly understood. Here, we measured the tree-ring widths of 99 fire-scarred trees from three sites in natural Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) forests. Three moderate-severity fire events in years 1987, 1990, and 2000 occurring at three sites were detected from the records of local forestry bureau. Based on tree-ring width data, we calculated resilience components (i.e., resistance, recovery, resilience and relative resilience) to quantify the responses of growth resilience in the larch trees to fires and analyzed their drivers at three sites. Results indicated that fires significantly reduced the tree growth. With the increasing tree age, these reductions were more pronounced. As for resilience components, our study showed a limited resistance but high recovery of tree growth against fires, and resistance tended to increase northwards but recovery showed the opposite, suggesting a growth-survival tradeoff was exhibited in Dahurian larch trees. With an increasing tree age, regional resistance and resilience showed a decreasing trend, whereas recovery and relative resilience showed an increasing trend. Resilience components were mainly affected by the climatic factors in spring. An increase in moisture availability enhanced resistance, a reduction in diurnal temperature range enhanced recovery, and an increase in mean temperature enhanced resilience and relative resilience. This study reveals that Dahurian larch could be even less favorable when faced with moderate or severe fire events, but a high capacity of recovery enables this species to adapt to the fire-prone condition. Moreover, this work highlights that the resilience of tree growth should be considered to understand tree behaviors and survival strategies of boreal forests following fires across fire-prone regions under future climate warming.