%0 Journal Article %A Dan-Yang YUAN %A Liang-Jun ZHU %A Yuan-Dong ZHANG %A Zong-Shan LI %A Hui-Ying ZHAO %A Xiao-Chun WANG %T Comparison of elevational changes in relationships of blue intensity and ring width index in Picea jezoensis with climatic responses in Laobai Mountain of Jilin, China %D 2019 %R 10.17521/cjpe.2019.0257 %J Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology %P 1061-1078 %V 43 %N 12 %X

Aims We aim to compare the climatic representativeness of blue intensity (BI) and ring width index (RWI) in Picea jezoensis, and to provide guidance for the further application of BI parameters in dendrochronology.
Methods A total of 120 tree-ring cores were extracted from P. jezoensis trees in the Laobai Mountain of Jilin Province. Using the methods of the growth-climate response function analysis and moving correlation analysis, the differences in the responses of BI and RWI to climate change in P. jezoensis along an elevational gradient (namely 900, 1 200 and 1 500 m) were investigated.
Important findings The BI (or RWI) in P. jezoensis trees at the three elevations had similar responses to climate. BI was predominantly and positively correlated with temperature, while RWI was predominantly and negatively correlated with temperature. BI was positively correlated with the maximum temperature in summer and growing season. RWI at the low or medium elevations was significantly and negatively correlated with the annual minimum and mean temperatures and the minimum temperature in growing season. BI was negatively correlated with the SPEI in summer, while RWI was weakly or positively correlated with SPEI in summer. This almost inverse growth-climate relationships by BI and RWI may reflect the trade-off between earlywood and latewood. BI and RWI in P. jezoensis in the study area may infer different climate signals. On the spatial scale, the responses of BI to summer precipitation, maximum temperature and SPEI were better than the traditional RWI. The temporal stability of the correlation of BI with main climatic factors was better than that of RWI. Therefore, BI has some potential application in studies of dendroclimatology.

%U https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2019.0257