Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2017, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 279-289.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2016.0222

• Research Articles •     Next Articles

Responses of radial growth to temperature in Larix gmelinii of the Da Hinggan Ling under climate warming

Yong-Xing CHANG, Zhen-Ju CHEN*(), Xian-Liang ZHANG, Xue-Ping BAI, Xue-Peng ZHAO, Jun-Xia LI, Xu LU   

  1. Tree-ring Laboratory, College of Forestry, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China and Research Station of Liaohe-River Plain Forest Ecosystem, Chinese Forest Ecosystem Research Network, Changtu, Liaoning 112500, China
  • Online:2017-03-10 Published:2017-04-12
  • Contact: Zhen-Ju CHEN
  • About author:KANG Jing-yao(1991-), E-mail: kangjingyao_nj@163.com

Abstract:

Aims The Da Hinggan Ling is amongst the areas in China susceptible to climate warming. The objective of this study is to determine the responses of radial growth to temperature variations in Larix gmelinii growing in different parts of the Da Hinggan Ling in the process of climate warming, by using dendrochronological techniques. Methods We collected tree-ring samples from the southern, the middle and the northern parts of the main Da Hinggan Ling, developed site-specific ring-width chronologies, and synthesized tree-ring indices of the southern, the middle and the northern parts of the study area according to the first principal component loading factors for each chronology. The relationships between radial growth in L. gmelinii and temperature variations were determined with correlation analysis, and the differences in the responses of radial growth to temperature variations among various parts were analyzed and compared with principle component analysis. Important findings There were notable discrepancies in the effects of temperature variations on radial growth in L. gmelinii between the southern and the northern parts of the study area (the middle part > the northern part > the southern part). In the southern part, the mean monthly temperature between the previous November and April of the current year had a significant relationship with tree-ring indices (p < 0.05). In the middle part, the mean monthly temperature during March and October of the current year had a significant relationship with tree-ring indices (p < 0.05), and so did the mean monthly temperature during June and August of the previous year (p < 0.05). The mean monthly temperature during April and May of the current year had a highly significant relationship with tree-ring indices in the northern part (p < 0.01). This study suggests that the warmer and drier regional climate condition caused by elevated temperature has resulted in that soil moisture becomes the main factor limiting the radial growth, and the relationship between tree growth and temperature variations signified with aggravated soil drought under climate warming. The productivity in L. gmelinii as reflected by basal area increment experienced a shift response from cold stress to water stress. In addition, the radial growth in L. gmelinii in the Da Hinggan Ling will likely to show a declining trend in the southern and the middle parts, and an increasing trend in the northern part, in response to rapid warming in the coming decades.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201703001

Key words: climate warming, the Da Hinggan Ling, Larix gmelinii, tree-ring width, radial growth, temperature variation, sensitivity