Climate–growth analysis of Qilian juniper across an altitudinal gradient in the central Qilian Mountains, northwest China

Gao, Linlin; Gou, Xiaohua; Deng, Yang; Liu, Wenhuo; Yang, Meixue; Zhao, Zhiqian

doi:10.1007/s00468-012-0776-6

Cited by 40 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…As a consequence of these rapid asymmetrical changes, statistical correlations of growth with basic weather data are becoming less reliable (Briffa et al 1998;Gao et al 2013) and much more variable (Zhang and Wilmking 2010). As an alternative to conventional dendrochronological analysis, process-based modeling may offer a more holistic interpretation (Evans et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent reduction in the frequency of frost accounts for most of the increased growth of a high elevation spruce forest in northwestern China

Waring

Gao

2016

Trees

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Key message Using process-based models in combination with dendrochronological measurements provides a way to explain recent increased tree growth in northwestern China. Abstract Dendrochronological studies of tree rings in a 250-year-old Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia) forest in the Qilian Mountains of northwestern China indicate a 60 % sustained increase in tree-ring growth between 1980 and 2009 compared with any time since 1785. Over the same period, the maximum, minimum, and average temperatures all increased by nearly 2°C during the growing season (May through September), the frequency of frost decreased 18 days, precipitation remained unchanged, while atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 increased by 48 ppm. To explain how the changes in climatic variables might cause the increase in tree growth, we parameterized a process-based growth model (3-PG, physiological processes predicting growth) with values from the literature and performed a series of sensitivity tests. The results of our analysis indicated that a reduction in frost frequency during the growing season, which allows stomata to remain open, enhanced gross photosynthesis by 42 %. Up to a 20 % increase in P G could be attributed to rising atmospheric CO 2 between 1980 and 2009, with half of this attributed to increased light interception from a simulated 0.4 increase in canopy leaf area index. The increase in average and maximum temperatures had little direct effect on gross photosynthesis with the optimum temperature set between 9 and 10°C. Indirectly, the increase in monthly average minimum temperature during the growing season, although small, crossed a threshold that reduced the impact of frost. Our analyses show the value of combining dendrochronological measurements with a process-based model to gain a more holistic understanding of how environmental factors interact to affect tree growth.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent reduction in the frequency of frost accounts for most of the increased growth of a high elevation spruce forest in northwestern China

Waring

Gao

2016

Trees

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“…In contrast, the present study found consistent patterns of Qilian juniper growth at the high-and low-elevation sites. Consistent growth at high-and low-elevation sites has been reported in other parts of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (Gao et al 2013;Yang et al 2013). Water stress was the main climatic factor that caused homogeneous tree growth across an altitudinal gradient in the western of the Qilian Mountains .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…The growth decline were mainly caused by the warming-induced water limitations, especially the warmer spring (Wu et al 2012(Wu et al , 2013; while, previous autumn and winter temperature improved the speedup of tree growth in the Tianshan Mountains (Qi et al 2015). Previous researches using dendroclimatological methods have demonstrated that temperatures during the previous winter played a dominant role in growth of Qilian juniper in the middle of the Qilian Mountains Gao et al 2013). In addition, precipitation during the previous winter (mostly in the form of snow) also contributed to the recent enhancement of tree growth (Fig.…”

Section: Divergent Response To the Warming Of Different Regionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential response of Qilian juniper radial growth to climate variations in the middle of Qilian Mountains and the northeastern Qaidam Basin

et al. 2015

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Tree growth in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere reveals significant interannual variation in carbon sequestration, and the variations have been widely attributed to climate change, especially to the recent rapid warming and increasing drought stress. However, the response of natural trees under the different regions that exist in the northeastern QinghaiTibetan Plateau remains unclear. Here, we use nine Qilian juniper (Sabina przewalskii) treering width and basal area increment (BAI) chronologies from the middle of the Qilian Mountains and the northeastern Qaidam Basin to quantify tree growth trends and their response to the recent rapid warming. The trees, growing at high and low elevations, exhibited a consistent pattern of inter-annual variations, with increasing synchronicity in their trends since 1950. Responses to several climate factors indicate that increasing temperature accelerated tree growth in the middle of the Qilian Mountains, but restricted tree growth in the northeastern Qaidam Basin. Moving-window correlation analyses demonstrate a clearly contrasting response to the temperature variations. Our findings suggest that growth of Qilian juniper in the middle of the Qilian Mountains will increase steadily in the future rapid warming, but may remain constant or even decrease in the northeastern Qaidam Basin. These contrasting responses to temperatures provide valuable information on forest dynamics Climatic Change (2015)

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“…Warmer spring temperatures would advance the onset of growing season by increasing the melting of snow cover and warming soil and stem meristems at higher elevations [35]. However, at lower elevations, a higher growing season Forests 2018, 9, 248 9 of 11 temperature could negatively impact the growth of A. fargesii through enhanced evapotranspiration leading to drought stress and reducing the rate of cambium division during xylogenesis [38,39], as has been described in drought-prone mountain forest environments [40,41]. Notably, the precipitation showed an earlier (April) and stronger negative impact on the growth of A. fargesii than L. chinensis in the pre-growing season.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Species- and Elevation-Dependent Growth Responses to Climate Warming of Mountain Forests in the Qinling Mountains, Central China

Liu

Liang

Liu

et al. 2018

Forests

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Climate warming is significantly affecting the composition and function of forest ecosystems. However, the forest responses to climate change in sub-humid and temperate areas are understudied compared with cold and semi-arid areas. Here, we investigate the radial-growth responses of two subalpine conifer species along an elevational gradient located in the Qinling Mountains, a sub-humid and temperate area situated in central China. Three sites dominated by larch (Larix chinensis Beissn.) and two other sites dominated by fir (Abies fargesii Franch.) located at different elevations were sampled. L. chinensis at a higher elevation showed more common and stronger climatic signals than A. fargesii at a lower elevation. The radial growth of L. chinensis was limited by low pre-growing season temperatures and showed an increasing growth trend in the last few years. On the other hand, A. fargesii growth was limited by summer water shortage and it was characterized by a declining trend in the most recent decade. Consequently, L. chinensis would benefit from climate warming, whereas A. fargesii could be regarded as a vulnerable tree species to warming-induced drought stress.

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Climate–growth analysis of Qilian juniper across an altitudinal gradient in the central Qilian Mountains, northwest China

Cited by 40 publications

References 33 publications

Recent reduction in the frequency of frost accounts for most of the increased growth of a high elevation spruce forest in northwestern China

Recent reduction in the frequency of frost accounts for most of the increased growth of a high elevation spruce forest in northwestern China

Differential response of Qilian juniper radial growth to climate variations in the middle of Qilian Mountains and the northeastern Qaidam Basin

Species- and Elevation-Dependent Growth Responses to Climate Warming of Mountain Forests in the Qinling Mountains, Central China

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