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Climategrowth relationships of Picea koraiensis and causes of its recent decline in Xiaoxing’an Mountains, China.

YAO Qi-chao1, WANG Xiao-chun2, XIAO Xing-wei1,3   

  1. (1College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; 2Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; 3State Intellectual Property Office of China, Beijing 100088, China)
  • Online:2015-07-18 Published:2015-07-18

Abstract: Two treering width chronologies of Picea koraiensis at two altitudes in Fenglin National Nature Reserve of Xiaoxing’〖KG-*4〗an Mountains, China were developed by using dendrochronological methods. To identify main limiting factors of P. koraiensis radial growth at the two altitudes, the relationships between the chronologies and local temperature, precipitation, Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), and largescale climatic factors were investigated. Meanwhile, the reasons of P. koraiensis growth decline in recent years were also explored. Results showed that radial growth of P. koraiensis in Xiaoxing’〖KG-*4〗an Mountains was mainly limited by temperatures, especially by the minimum temperature in growing season, while the limiting effect of precipitation was relatively weak. Climate responses of P. koraiensis growth at the different altitudes showed significant differences. Radial growths of P. koraiensis at the low altitude were positively correlated with precipitation in the current growth season (June-September) and whole year, and negatively correlated with soil temperatures at different depths, especially at 80 cm depth in growing season. Meanwhile, it was significantly positively correlated with PDSI in growing season. However, the relationships between radial growth of P. koraiensis at the high altitude and precipitation, air and soil temperatures, and PDSI were not significant as that at the low altitude. Growth decline of P. koraiensis in Xiaoxing’〖KG-*4〗an Mountains could be related to the phase changes in Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) and Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and the significant global warming since 1980. The coupling effects of the above changes might result in increased soil evaporation and exacerbated warming and drying phenomena, consequently causing the growth decline of P. koraiensis at the low altitude.