Spatial and age-dependent tree-ring growth responses of Larix gmelinii to climate in northeastern China |
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Authors: | Xiaochun Wang Yuandong Zhang Douglas J McRae |
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Institution: | (1) College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, 150040, China;(2) State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China;(3) Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory on Forest Ecology and Environment of State Forestry Administration, Beijing, 100091, China;(4) Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, 1219 Queen St. E., Sault Ste. Marie, ON, P6A 2E5, Canada |
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Abstract: | Tree-ring width chronologies from 276 Larix gmelinii cores taken in northeastern China were used to analyze spatial and age-dependent growth–climate response relationships. Tree
radial growth from five localities showed similar patterns, while exhibiting different tree-ring growth responses to local
climate. The rotated principal component analysis (RPCA) indicated that tree age, growing season moisture conditions, and
ambient air temperature variations resulted from location differences (e.g., longitude, latitude, and altitude), which could
explain the non-stationary spatial climate–growth relations observed. The study tested the fundamental assumption that the
climate–growth of L. gmelinii was age independent after the removal of size trends and disturbance signals. The age-related climate–growth relationship
might potentially improve the veracity of past climate reconstructions. Bootstrapped correlation function analyses suggested
that the response of L. gmelinii radial growth to climate differed between trees ≥150 years old and <150 years old. Mean sensitivity and standard deviation
for trees increased with age in the <150 years old tree class; whereas trees ≥150 years old had no significant relationship
with age. These results showed that the assumption of age-independent climate–growth relationship is invalid at these sites.
Physiological processes and/or hydraulic constraints dependent on tree age, together with detrending techniques could be the
possible causal factors of clear age-dependent responses. These results suggested the importance of incorporating trees of
all ages into the chronology to recover a detailed climatic signal in a reconstruction of L. gmelinii for this region. |
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Keywords: | Larix gmelinii Tree age Tree ring Spatial pattern Climatic response |
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