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High altitude Pinus taiwanensis Hayata growth response to climate in Jiulongshan and Guniujiang, Southeastern China.

LI Ling-ling1, SHI Jiang-feng1,2,3, HOU Xin-yuan1, YE Jin-shui4, MAO Hai-bo4, ZHAO Xin-wei1, LU Hua-yu1   

  1. (1School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences,  Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; 2Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; 3LamontDoherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA; 4Shuichang Forestry Bureau, Shuichang 323300, Zhejiang, China)
  • Online:2014-07-18 Published:2014-07-18

Abstract: Two robust Pinus taiwanensis Hayata treering width chronologies were developed at high elevation sites in Jiulongshan Natural Conservation Area (JLS01), southeastern Zhejiang Province and Guniujiang (GNJ01), southern Anhui Province, China. The reliable period was 1884-2010 for JLS01 and 1837-2008 for GNJ01, based on subsample signal strength (SSS) threshold value of 0.8. Meteorological data were monthly mean temperature, monthly total precipitation and monthly mean relative humidity, monthly total cloud cover, as well as monthly sunshine duration. The data from the meteorological stations around the sampling sites were averaged to represent regional climate, which were used in the correlation analyses with the treering chronologies. The correlation analyses indicated that summer (prior June-July and current June) hydrothermal condition was the main limiting factor on radial tree growth at the two high elevation sites. For JLS01 chronology, significant positive correlations were found with prior June-July temperature and sunshine duration, significant negative correlations with prior June-July and current June precipitation and relative humidity, and total cloud cover of prior July. GNJ01 chronology was significantly positively correlated with prior July temperature as well as prior July and current June sunshine duration, negatively correlated with prior July and current June precipitation and relative humidity, as well as total cloud cover of prior June. These results showed that relatively high temperature could promote radial growth, whereas high precipitation, together with high relative humidity, high cloud cover and low sunshine duration, could limit the photosynthesis and thus restrain the radial tree growth.