Growth trends and relationships with environmental factors for scots pine [Pinus sylvestris (L.)] in Brandemburg

Abstract

Scots pine growth trends have been determined in Brandenburg (eastern Germany) since the early 1960s. We investigated the interactions between recognized causal factors such temperature, precipitation and foliage nutrient contents in Scots pine and radial and height growth. We performed height stem analysis on 63 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees on seven sites from long-term research plots.Variations in the nutritional condition of the seven stands have been recorded by means of needle analysis. The relationship between thermal, mean monthly temperature, and pluvial conditions, total monthly precipitation, and tree radial increments was analysed, using methods of correlation, response function and principal components analysis. Temporal trends of height growth changes in relation to levels of foliar nitrogen and phosphorous contents were analysed.Evapotranspiration index was correlated with height growth deviation values, with indications of different stands behaviour. A distinct rise in N-levels and in the dry weight of needles has become evident. N and P ratio from declining plots was found to have significantly higher values as compared to that from non-declining plots.Key words: climate, foliar nutrition, productivity, stem analysis. ResumenTendencias en el crecimiento y relaciones con los factores medioambientales para siete lugares de pino silvestre [Pinus Sylvestris (L.)] en BrandenburgoEn este estudio se han calculado las tendencias en el crecimiento del pino silvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.), desde comienzos de los años 60, en el Estado de Brandenburgo (Este de Alemania). Del mismo modo se han investigado las interacciones entre los factores que causan el crecimiento radial y en altura, como son la temperatura, la precipitación y el contenido foliar en nutrientes. Con el fin de conseguir ésto realizamos análisis de troncos sobre 63 pinos en siete lugares con parcelas permanentes de investigación.Las variaciones en las condiciones nutricionales de los siete rodales fueron registradas por medio de análisis de acículas.La relación entre las condiciones térmicas, temperatura mensual media, y pluviales, precipitación mensual total y los incrementos radiales fue analizada, utilizando métodos de correlación, función respuesta y análisis de componentes principales.Las tendencias temporales de los cambios en el crecimiento en altura en relación con los niveles foliares de nitró-geno y fósforo fueron analizadas.El índice de evapotranspiración estuvo correlacionado con los valores de los cambios en el crecimiento en altura, indicando un comportamiento diferenciado entre los diferentes rodales. Un incremento diferenciado de los niveles de N y del peso seco de las acículas ha resultado evidente. El ratio de N y P de las parcelas en declive tenía valores significativamente más altos comparado con las parcelas que no presentaban declive.Palabras clave: clima, nutrición foliar, productividad, análisis de troncos.

Impact of climate change on tree-ring growth of Scots pine, common beech and pedunculate oak in northeastern Germany

“…Our results with indifferent and weak growth trends match these findings, thus it can be assumed that northeastern Germany is located in the transition zone from the increasing growth trends northwards to the decreasing growth trends southwards. However, although no growth trends were found throughout the 20 th century (Pérez et al 2005, Kint et al 2012), a potential growth decline in central Europe is expected for Belgian (Kint et al 2012) and for northeastern German (Pérez et al 2005) pine stands. Overall, our results suggest that potential future risks for Scots pine trees are not primarily direct effects of changing climatic conditions but may rather be driven by possible biotic disturbances such as needle-feeding and bark-breeding insects (Kätzel & Höppner 2011).…”

Detrending ability of several regression equations in tree-ring research: a case study based on tree-ring data of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.])

“…However, after a review of recently published articles dealing with tree-ring research, we can conclude that the smoothing spline method prevails. A spline provides more natural fit to the data because it operates effectively as a centrally weighted moving average of the data (Cook, Peters 1981) and in the recent tree-ring research it has been widely used as the best method (Fritts et al 1991;Gray et al 2004;Pérez et al 2005;Büntgen et al 2007;and others). As stated by Peters (1980 in Brienen andZuidema 2005) a flexible cubic spline is the most appropriate detrending method for trees from closed-canopy stands.…”

Comparison of Scots pine growth dynamics in Polissya and Steppe zone of Ukraine

“…In the study (Rédei et al 2014) growth rate and yield were determined, and a local numerical yield table for pure black locust stands in Hungary was developed. Pérez et al (2005) investigated the interactions between temperature, precipitation, and radial and height growth in Scots pine. A biologically inspired whole-stand growth and yield model was developed for even-aged thinned or unthinned stands dominated by trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.)…”