Response of old‐growth montane <i>Picea abies</i> (L.) Karst. forest to climatic variability in northern Sweden

Hofgaard, Annika; Kullman, Leif; Alexandersson, Hans

doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1991.tb01051.x

Cited by 36 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…However, the exact date must depend on the frequency of future winter extremes, with respect to temperature and snow cover. Besides, given the phenotypic plasticity characteristic of the spruce, a consequent and major reversal of the climate trend might fundamentally improve the state of vitality and restore the trees, a potential that has been demonstrated in some studies (Hofgaard, Kullman & Alexandersson, 1991;Kullman, 1995). The open structure of the birch and spruce populations makes it unlikely that the fairly rapid canopy decline is a consequence of competition and crowding.…”

Section: Crown Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rise and demise of cold‐climate Picea abies forest in Sweden

Kullman

1996

New Phytologist

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SUMMARYThe study focuses on structural and compositional dynamics of high-elevation (boreal) mixed Picea-Betula forest in the Swedish Scandes. Data from seven years' monitoring of crown condition (defoHation), seed viability, soil and air temperatures, a tree-ring chronology and the age structure of Picea are presented. Real long-term dynamism of the tree cover was inferred from radiocarbon dates of buried subfossil wood. At all time-scales, the forest has responded sensitively to thermal variability. Picea seed viability, demography and radial growth correlated positively with summer temperature. The current Picea population largely results from warming during the first half of the 20th century. However, cooler climate in the past c. five decades has led to reduced population and radial growth as well as accelerating crown defohation. This decline is related primarily to winter soil temperatures. The mechanism of needle loss is deduced to be winter desiccation and resulting cavitation of the xylem. It is hypothesized that previous similar episodes have been balanced by periods of spruce expansion. The successional history leading up to the present stage includes fire disturbance and subsequent coohng during the Little Ice Age, which prolonged and consolidated the early post-fire Betula phase. Pinus was incapable of penetrating these unusually dense birch stands, whereas the shade-intolerant spruce could establish progressively as chmate warmed. This course of structural and compositional dynamism relates to complex interactions of disturbance, chmate change and reproductive responses.

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Section: Crown Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rise and demise of cold‐climate Picea abies forest in Sweden

Kullman

1996

New Phytologist

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“…Despite numerous studies of tree response to climatic variation (Fritts 1974;Devall et al 1991;Hofgaard et al 1991;Villalba and Veblen 1994;Frolking et al 1996;Piutti and Cescatti 1997;Swetman and Betancourt 1998) and interactions of climate with other disturbance agents (Swetnam and Lynch 1993;Zhang et al 1999), surprisingly few attempts have been made to analyze the combined effect of natural canopy disturbance and climate on sapling growth. There are indications for some coniferous species that the response to climatic variation may vary along gradients of environmental factors (Villalba and Veblen 1994;Orwig and Abrams 1997) and competitive interference (Piutti and Cescatti 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interaction between canopy disturbance leading to gap formation and climate could be critical for the canopy composition, because it could directly affect tree growth (Hofgaard et al 1991), change the species susceptibility to other disturbance agents (Clinton et al 1993), affect the rate and pattern of vegetation recovery within a disturbed area (Rebertus and Burns 1997), and (or) influence the sapling's chances of reaching the forest canopy within particular types of disturbed patches (Canham and Marks 1985). Furthermore, within a longer period of time, changes in climate could alter the relative success of disturbance-mediated regeneration of different species (e.g., Hogg 1994;Sykes and Prentice 1996, and references therein).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth response of spruce saplings in relation to climatic conditions along a gradient of gap size

Drobyshev¹,

Nihlgård²

2000

Can. J. For. Res.

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Abstract:To evaluate the relative importance of climatic factors and the level of natural canopy disturbance on sapling growth rates, terminal shoot increment of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) saplings was analyzed in old-growth Sphagnum-Myrtillus forests of the European southern boreal zone (Tver Region, Russia). For a 5-year period, terminal increments were retrospectively measured in 225 saplings in a range of naturally created canopy gaps. Climatic variability was estimated by Seljaninov hydrothermal coefficient. Variation in the growth rate was partitioned as (i) annual variation observed within a particular sapling over a 5-year period ("within-stem variation," WSV) and (ii) variation of 5-year cumulative height increments within a particular location ("within-location variation," WLV). Sapling growth was positively related to gap size and, except when under canopy location, with the height of the saplings. For the growth, differences in sapling location along a gradient of gap sizes were more important than annual dynamics of water availability. Impact of the annual climatic variability was less pronounced in large gap, compared with other locations. Absolute values of WSV and WLV were similar under an intact canopy. WSV had a tendency to decrease in greater gaps, whereas WLV variation increased.Résumé : Pour évaluer l'importance relative des facteurs climatiques et le niveau de perturbation du couvert naturel sur le taux de croissance des gaules, l'accroissement de la pousse terminale des gaules de l'épicéa commun (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) a été analysé dans de vieilles forêts du type Sphagnum-Myrtillus de la partie sud de la zone boréale européenne (région de Tver en Russie). L'accroissement terminal a été mesuré rétrospectivement sur une période de 5 ans chez 225 gaules, réparties dans une gamme d'ouvertures naturelles du couvert. La variabilité climatique a été estimée par le coefficient hydrothermique de Seljaninov. La variation du taux de croissance a été divisée (i) en variation annuelle observée chez une gaule particulière sur une période de 5 ans ("variation intra-tige," VIT) et (ii) en variation de l'accroissement cumulatif en hauteur, sur une période de 5 ans, à l'intérieur d'un site particulier ("variation intrasite," VIS). La croissance des gaules était reliée positivement avec la dimension des ouvertures et, sauf dans le cas des sites sous couvert, avec la hauteur des gaules. Pour ce qui est de la croissance, les différences dans la position des gaules le long d'un gradient dans la dimension des ouvertures étaient plus importantes que la dynamique annuelle de la disponibilité en l'eau. L'impact de la variabilité climatique annuelle était moins prononcé dans les grandes ouvertures que dans d'autres sites. Sous un couvert intact, les valeurs absolues de VIT et de VIS étaient semblables. La valeur de VIT avait tendance à diminuer dans les grandes ouvertures, alors que la variation de VIS augmentait.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Drobyshev and Nihlgård 938

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“…Analysis of one single pine was included in his thesis, showing contrasting growth rates during different periods, potentially relating to climate and/or disturbance events in the forests. A more recent study with dendrochronological data for spruce from the Granudden site showed strong growth response to both climate variation and disturbance events (top-breaks) (Hofgaard et al, 1991). In particular, there was a strong diameter growth response to the improvements in climate in the 1820s to 1830s.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The structure and regeneration of high-altitude Norway spruce forests: a review of Arnborg (1942, 1943)

Jonsson

Hofgaard

2010

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

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The high-altitude forests along the Scandinavian mountain range were relatively unaffected by the first wave of forest utilization and in the mid-twentieth century some untouched forests still remained. In his doctoral thesis, Tore Arnborg analysed the vegetation patterns and forest structure in two mainly primeval forest stands, Blekaskogen and Granudden, in northern Sweden. The sites represent typical spruce-dominated mountain forest, generally not subject to large-scale disturbance by forest fire. Arnborg's studies were among the first giving data on the structure and dynamics of these forests. Both stands were multilayered and of open character. The fraction of mature, overmature and senescent trees was high and about 18% of the trees were considered to be dying. Although having a similar history, the two stands differed in character, mostly owing to the altitudinal difference. Thus, Granudden, situated about 50Á80 m above Blekaskogen, had a low canopy and was more open in character. In addition to stand structure, Arnborg analysed tree regeneration. He provided very strong empirical evidence for the important role of dead logs in regeneration. Based on logs of known age, he presented an eightgrade decay classification system, focusing on the possibility of seed germination and survival. A major conclusion from his studies is that the forest is in equilibrium and able to regenerate itself by the periodically high abundance of viable seeds and through the presence of logs and disturbed soil patches. Based on his findings, Arnborg argued for initiating clear-cutting complemented with soil scarification of these high-altitude forests. In his time, just before the onset of the clear-cutting epoch, the focus in forest research was strongly influence by management for increased production.

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Response of old‐growth montane Picea abies (L.) Karst. forest to climatic variability in northern Sweden

Cited by 36 publications

References 21 publications

Rise and demise of cold‐climate Picea abies forest in Sweden

Rise and demise of cold‐climate Picea abies forest in Sweden

Growth response of spruce saplings in relation to climatic conditions along a gradient of gap size

The structure and regeneration of high-altitude Norway spruce forests: a review of Arnborg (1942, 1943)

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