[Warming-drying climate intensifies the restriction of moisture on radial growth of Pinus tabuli-formis plantation in semi-arid area of Northeast China]

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2021 Oct;32(10):3459-3467. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202110.034.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

Plantation ecosystems are more vulnerable than natural ones to global climate change. Using the dendrochronology method, we established tree-ring width chronologies of Pinus tabuliformis distributed in the semi-arid region of Northeast China. We examined its growth dynamics, analyzed the relationship between radical growth and climate factors, and explored the effects of global warming on the growth and distribution of P. tabuliformis. The results showed that tree-ring width chronologies of P. tabuliformis were negatively correlated with mean temperature of growing season (May-July), and positively correlated with precipitation and Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) in the early growing season (April) and in the growing season (May-July). Water availability was the main limiting factor for the radial growth of P. tabuliformis. Along the increasing precipitation gradient from southwest to northeast, tree growth became more sensitive to annual mean temperature, and the correlation with annual precipitation shifted from positive to negative, indicating that tree growth in the relative arid area (southwest of the study area) was more severely restricted by water availability. Drought stress caused by climate warming resulted in growth declines at some sites in the southwest area. With the continuous warming-drying climate, the distribution boundary of P. tabuliformis in the study area would shrink locally, with the suitable growth boundary moving northward.

相较天然林,人工林生态系统对全球性气候变化更敏感。本文利用树木年代学方法,以东北半干旱地区油松人工林为对象建立油松年轮宽度年表,研究油松生长的动态变化及其径向生长与气象因子的相关关系,探讨升温对油松生长及分布的影响。结果表明: 研究区油松年轮宽度主要与生长季5—7月的平均温度呈显著负相关,与生长季早期4月和生长季5—7月的平均降水量和PDSI呈显著正相关,水分可利用性是限制研究区油松径向生长的主要因子。自西南向东北随着年降水量增加,各样点油松径向生长对年均温的敏感性增强,与年降水量的相关关系由显著正相关转变为负相关,说明偏干旱的西南部地区油松生长受水分限制更严重。气候变暖导致的干旱胁迫使得研究区西南部的部分人工林油松生长呈衰退状态。随着暖干化的持续,研究区油松分布边界将发生局地收缩,适宜生长的边界将向北移动。.

Keywords: Pinus tabuliformis; radial growth; semi-arid region; warming-drying.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Climate Change
  • Ecosystem
  • Pinus*
  • Trees