Abstract: By the methods of dendrochronology, this paper analyzed the effects of gender, tree size, and climate factors (temperature and precipitation) on the radial growth of dioecious Pistacia chinensis trees. Among the test affecting factors, tree size exhibited significant effects on the radial growth of P. chinensis(P<0.05), but gender did not (P>0.05). The growth rate of the individuals in different tree size classes differed with gender, e.g., the female trees in 10-15 cm DBH class had a significantly higher radial growth rate than the male trees in the same DBH class. The male and female trees showed similar responses to climate factors. Their radial growth rate was significantly positively related to the mean monthly minimum temperature in current March, mean temperature and mean monthly maximum temperature in current November, and monthly precipitation in current May, but significantly negatively related to the mean temperature and mean monthly maximum temperature in current May. There existed definite differences in the responses of the radial growth of the males and females to climate factors. The radial growth of the males was significantly positively related to the monthly minimum temperature in current April and significantly negatively related to the mean temperature and mean monthly maximum temperature in current July, while that of the females was significantly negatively related to mean temperature in current January.

Key words: Tropical rainforest, Ficus racemosa fruits, Insects community, Diversity