Impact of climate factors on height growth of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica

Abstract

Tree height growth is sensitive to climate change; therefore, incorporating climate factors into tree height prediction models can improve our understanding of this relationship and provide a scientific basis for plantation management under climate change conditions. Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) is one of the most important afforestation species in Three-North Regions in China. Yet our knowledge on the relationship between height growth and climate for Mongolian pine is limited. Based on survey data for the dominant height of Mongolian pine and climate data from meteorological station, a mixed-effects Chapman-Richards model (including climate factors and random parameters) was used to study the effects of climate factors on the height growth of Mongolian pine in Zhanggutai sandy land, Northeast China. The results showed that precipitation had a delayed effect on the tree height growth. Generally, tree heights increased with increasing mean temperature in May and precipitation from October to April and decreased with increasing precipitation in the previous growing season. The model could effectively predict the dominant height growth of Mongolian pine under varying climate, which could help in further understanding the relationship between climate and height growth of Mongolian pine in semiarid areas of China.

Historical Tree Species Height Growth Pattern Associated With Climate Change in Western North America

“…As predicted, increased temperature generally had a positive effect on tree height growth when water availability was not limiting (Adams 2007;Cortini et al 2011;Sharma and Parton 2018;Zhou et al 2019).…”

Identification of Climatic and Soil Biocenotic Factors Influencing the Height Growth of Lapland Pine in North European Russia

“…mongolica Litv.) in the three northern regions of China, it was found that, as a rule, the height growth of pine trees increased with increasing average monthly temperature in May and the amount of precipitation from October to April, and decreased from increased precipitation in the previous growing season (Zhou et al 2019). Also, a significant positive correlation of the height growth indices of Scots pine with May temperatures was noted by scientists conducting studies in Latvia (Janson et al 2013b).…”

“…One of the main types of pine response to various environmental conditions is its linear growth (=height growth). Its variability is closely related to climatic factors and ecological conditions (Koukhta 2003(Koukhta , 2009Chernogaeva and Kuhta 2018;Jansons et al 2013a, b;Pozdnyakova et al 2019;Zhou et al 2019). The height growth of Scots pine in cold and moist regions has been limited by temperature in the previous summer and length of the growing period (McCarroll et al 2003;Pensa et al 2005;Salminen and Jalkanen 2005).…”

Peer Review #1 of "Effects of afforestation with Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations combined with enclosure management on soil microbial community (v0.1)"

“…Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica naturally distributed in Honghuaerji, as the main afforestation tree species, was first introduced to Zhanggutai, Liaoning Province, China (Zhou et al, 2019), which has been successfully promoted in more than 300 counties in 13 provinces and regions. According to the results of the eighth forest resource inventory (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013), the area of Pinus sylvestris var.…”