Interspecific variation in growth and tree water status of conifers under water-limited conditions

Abstract

We monitored seasonal dynamics of stem water status of four coniferous species (Abies alba, Larix decidua, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris) planted at the Borová hora Arboretum (300 m a.s.l., Zvolen valley, Central Slovakia) beyond their ecological and production optima, in the region with warmer and drier climate compared to the sites of their origin. Species-specific stem water deficit and maximum daily shrinkage were extracted from diurnal band dendrometer records of stem circumference recorded by digital band dendrometers DRL26 installed on five trees per species, and correlations with environmental variables were analysed. The seasonal stem circumference increment of all tree species was higher in 2017 than in the drier and hotter year of 2018. The greatest seasonal stem circumference increment in the observed periods of 2017 and 2018 was observed for A. alba and P. sylvestris, respectively. The highest and lowest values of daily and seasonal stem water deficit were observed for L. decidua and A. alba, respectively. The analysis of trees' short-term response to extreme climate events seems to be the promising and suitable method for detecting tree species tolerance towards drought.

Contrasting responses of forest growth and carbon sequestration to heat and drought in the Alps

“…According to these findings, we found that, in absence of limiting water availability, the warmer temperatures that occurred before budburst in 2015 did not determine any growth reduction or halt, and even increased stem growth amount and duration. Therefore, we suggest that the 2017 early summer drought was the main driver of larch stem growth decrease at our study site (Oberhuber et al 2014, Jezik et al 2016, Leštianska et al 2020.…”

“…Indeed water balance variables, such as climatic water deficit, may have the largest negative impact on inter-annual tree growth (Itter et al 2017) and limited stem growth was already observed in L. decidua, especially when drought events occurred during spring and early summer (Vitas 2018, Leštianska et al 2020, Danek et al 2021. Moreover, previous studies highlighted a strong dependence of tree growth to mean summer temperature in relation to elevation, with negative effects under 1300 m asl and positive responses at higher elevations (Vitasse et al 2019).…”

Influence of meteorological factors on the moisture content of fine forest fuels: responses of fire danger class to different microclimates on the example of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands

“…1) (Stašiov et al, 2017). According Leštianska et al (2020) and Lukáčik et al (2005) the soil type is cambisol. From the climatic point of view, this area is situated in the temperate climatic zone with a temperate Central European climate.…”

“…• The prepared material of the fine fraction is compressed with constant pressure. andesite tuff Soil type 1) cambisol Average annual air temperature (°C) 2) 7.9 Average temperature (April-September) (°C) 2) 14.7 Average January air temperature (°C) 2) -3.9 Average July air temperature (°C) 2) 18.1 Average annual precipitation total (mm) 2) 651 Average precipitation (April-September) (mm) 16-23 Canopy density 0.9 (closed canopy cover) Growing phase pole timber phase 1) natural conditions Borová hora arboretum according to Lukáčik et al (2005) 2) climatic conditions according to Leštianska et al (2020) excerpted from climatological normal SHMI 1961-1990 3) climatic regions according to Tarábek (1980) 4) Altitudinal vegetation stages according to Škvarenina et al (2004b) 5) Forest type groups according to Škvareninová (2009), (2010) 6) NATURA potential vegetation according to Stanová and Valachovič (2002).…”

Tree morphology dependent transpiration reduction function of Schefflera arboricola for landfill cover restoration

“…In recent times, plants are subjected to excessive drought stress due to climate change (Corona and Montaldo, 2020;Findlay et al, 2020;Leštianska et al, 2020). Past studies (Balashov et al, 2021;Moore, et al, 2010;Pochodyła et al, 2022;Šimanský and Šrank, 2021) have employed drought mitigation approaches utilizing nutrients, biochar, and chemical surfactants Root embolization or root death due to excessive drought stress can have drastic effects on the functioning of geoenvironmental infrastructure such as landfill covers, and mining sites post closure of operations.…”