JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2020, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3): 157-162.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-2006.201901030

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Development and climatic response of the tree⁃ring width chronology of Pinus armandii at Muzhaling Mountain

LI Xuenan1(), HUO Jiaxin1, YANG Liu1, PENG Jianfeng1,2   

  1. 1.College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
    2.Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions, MOE, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
  • Received:2019-01-22 Revised:2019-12-18 Online:2020-05-30 Published:2020-06-11
  • Contact: PENG Jianfeng E-mail:xuenanli@139.com

Abstract: Objective

An analysis of the response of the tree rings of Chinese white pine (Pinus armandii), the main coniferous afforestation tree species, to climatic factors in the Muzhaling Mountain of Funiu Mountains, eastern Qinling Mountains, China, was performed from April 1956 to November 2016 to provide fundamental information for regional forest management and regeneration procedures as well as climate reconstruction.

Method

Tree-ring width chronologies were developed based on the principles of dendrochronology by mounting sample cores on wood boards, air-drying and polishing, cross-dating, measuring and correcting ring width. Growth trends and ecological interference were removed before the establishment of the ring width chronology. The correlations between the residual chronology and climate factors were analyzed using DendroClim 2002.

Result

We found that residual chronology contains more climatic information and is more suitable for climatic response analysis than standard chronology. Analysis of monthly data from different meteorological stations showed that tree growth of P. armandii had a significant negative correlation with mean temperature and mean maximum temperature and a significant positive correlation with monthly total precipitation in the previous August. Meanwhile, tree growth had significant positive correlation with mean minimum temperature in the previous November and the current April. In terms of seasons, there was a significant positive correlation between tree growth of P. armandii and precipitation from the previous August to the current May. Similarly, a significant positive correlation was found with the Palmer drought severity index(PDSI)from the previous August to the current May and in the previous winter(previous December to current February).

Conclusion

The hydro-thermal combination in the previous August and mean minimum temperature of the previous November and the current April were important factors for determining tree growth. Precipitation in the non-rainy season from the end of the previous growing season to the start of the current growing season was the main climatic factor limiting tree growth of P. armandii in this area.

Key words: Pinus armandii, tree ring, tree ring-width chronology, climate response, climate reconstruction, Muzhaling Mountain

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