The carbon budget of an adult Pinus cembra tree at the alpine timberline in the Central Austrian Alps

Wieser, Gerhard; Gigele, Thomas; Pausch, Hans

doi:10.1007/s10342-004-0050-6

Cited by 20 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…On the other hand, the interpretation of the positive correlation in the same sites for the t -1 late summer/ autumn temperatures is not straightforward. A possible explanation is that net photosynthesis and daily carbon balances are still positive, even if they progressively decrease at this time of year until winter dormancy sets in (as a result of shorter days, lower irradiance and near-freezing temperatures), allowing the pine to keep storing carbohydrates available for early shoots and stem growth in the forthcoming season (Fritts & Swetnam 1989;Wieser et al 2005). A similar but reverse process could provide an explanation for the negative growth response in late t winter/early spring, when temperatures rise in parallel with respiratory C losses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional variability of climate–growth relationships in Pinus cembra high elevation forests in the Alps

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary1 . The tree-ring growth response of stone pine ( Pinus cembra L.) to climatic variability was studied in the Alps. The aims were (i) to assess tree-ring growth patterns at different spatial-temporal scales; (ii) to identify the climate parameters that explain most of the variability in radial growth at different time domains; and (iii) to study past and current trends in radial growth and climate-growth relationships at different locations. 2. High-and low-frequency stone pine chronologies were compiled for 30 treeline sites on the French and Italian Alps. We used gridded climate data computed from 200 years of instrumental records from an extensive Alpine network. Climate-growth relationships were computed with bootstrap correlation functions and their stationarity and consistency over time assessed with moving correlation. 3. No spatial patterns were detected in stone pine chronology statistics despite the regional clustering observed in tree-ring series and climate responses. This can be attributed to (i) local weather variability; (ii) different biophysical conditions caused by soil moisture, solar radiation, snowmelt dynamics and growing season length; and (iii) forest stand history and age structure, the expression of long-term land use and disturbances. 4. The exceptionally long-term climate records allowed significant stone pine growth response changes to be assessed at both annual and decadal time scales. Winter conditions and spring-summer temperatures mainly affected the growing season length, in addition to site carbon and water balance. Most of these limiting factors varied spatially and temporally along the latitudinal and longitudinal gradients in response to the corresponding changes in local conditions. 5. Our results show evidence of a clear response variability of Pinus cembra to climate limiting factors, at both spatial and temporal scale. Such knowledge extended to other species and regions will provide better estimates of the effect of climate variability on species distribution and dynamics within global change scenarios and more accurate past climate reconstruction and forest ecosystem modelling.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional variability of climate–growth relationships in Pinus cembra high elevation forests in the Alps

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The increasing negative influence of March t temperature tends to confirm this hypothesis since high temperatures favour early melting of snow and exposes trees to late frost, frequent at this season and at this altitude. It also could be explained by the effects on respiration processes and carbon losses (Wieser et al 2005).…”

Section: Varying Influences Of Climate Over Timementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The snow layer increases albedo (Tranquillini 1979) and intensifies the effect of sunshine on carbohydrate depletion. According to Wieser et al (2005), the total estimated C loss of stone pine during the dormancy period amounted to 9% of the annual net photosynthetic C gain, and it takes a month to compensate this loss. These respiratory C losses due to high temperature could explain this relationship between March t temperature and tree growth (Carrer et al 2007).…”

Section: Similarities With Previous Dendroclimatological Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate/growth relationships in a Pinus cembra high-elevation network in the Southern French Alps

Saulnier

Édouard

Corona

et al. 2011

Annals of Forest Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction In the context of climate change, assessing climate-growth relationships is of high importance in order to understand how forest ecosystems evolve and to test climate models at regional scale.•Objectives This study aims to identify the climate variables that explain most of the variation in Pinus cembra radial growth at different spatial-temporal scales, response functions and moving response functions were processed on chronologies from a dense tree ring network. This original network is centred on the French Alps influenced by the Atlantic, Continental, and Mediterranean synoptic systems.•Results A spatial clustering pattern matching the latitudinal climatic gradient was observed in tree ring indexed chronologies and climate responses. The stationary response functions computed for each cluster-averaged population evidenced a thermo-dependent northern cluster (Cl1), a rainfall-dependent southern cluster (Cl3), and an alternative response for the intermediate cluster in between (Cl2). Since the late nineteenth century, the moving response functions indicate an increasing influence of winter precipitation for the northern and the intermediate clusters.•Conclusion Considering the increase in temperature and reduction both of summer precipitation predicted by general circulation models and of the snow cover and duration in the French Alps, stone pine is likely to be exposed to stressful conditions during the twenty-first century.

show abstract

“…Patscherkofel (Klimahaus) Austria 1950 m a.s.l. (Modified after data from Wieser et al, 2005 and Havranek and Matyssek, 2005).…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of atmospheric and climate change at the timberline of the Central European Alps

et al. 2009

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract• This review considers potential effects of atmospheric change and climate warming within the timberline ecotone of the Central European Alps. After focusing on the impacts of ozone (O 3 ) and rising atmospheric CO 2 concentration, effects of climate warming on the carbon and water balance of timberline trees and forests will be outlined towards conclusions about changes in tree growth and treeline dynamics.• Presently, ambient ground-level O 3 concentrations do not exert crucial stress on adult conifers at the timberline of the Central European Alps. In response to elevated atmospheric CO 2 Larix decidua showed growth increase, whereas no such response was found in Pinus uncinata. Overall climate warming appears as the factor responsible for the observed growth stimulation of timberline trees.• Increased seedling re-establishment in the Central European Alps however, resulted from invasion into potential habitats rather than upward migration due to climate change, although seedlings will only reach tree size upon successful coupling with the atmosphere and thus loosing the beneficial microclimate of low stature vegetation.• In conclusion, future climate extremes are more likely than the gradual temperature increase to control treeline dynamics in the Central European Alps. Mots-clés :limite supérieure alpine de la forêt / limite de croissance des arbres / réchauffement global / CO 2 / ozone / bilan hydrique / gain de carbone Résumé -Effets des changements atmosphériques et des changements climatiques à la limite supérieure de la forêt en Europe dans les Alpes centrales.• Cette étude examine les effets potentiels des changements atmosphériques et du réchauffement climatique au sein de l'écotone que constitue la limite supérieure de la forêt dans les Alpes centrales en Europe. Après avoir mis l'accent sur les effets de l'ozone (O 3 ) et de l'augmentation des concentrations atmosphériques du CO 2 , les effets du réchauffement climatique sur le bilan de carbone et le bilan hydrique des arbres et des forêts à la limite supérieure de la forêt seront présentés en vue de tirer des conclusions sur l'évolution de la croissance des arbres et sur les dynamiques de la limite supérieure de la forêt.• Actuellement, les concentrations en O 3 de l'air ambiant au niveau du sol n'exercent pas un stress critique sur les arbres adultes à la limite supérieure de la forêt dans les Alpes centrales en Europe. En réponse à des concentrations élevées en CO 2 Larix decidua a montré une augmentation de la croissance, alors qu'une telle réponse n'a pas été trouvée chez Pinus uncinata. Globalement, le ré-chauffement climatique apparaît être le facteur responsable de la stimulation de la croissance observée chez les arbres à la limite supérieure de la forêt.• Toutefois, l'augmentation de la réinstallation des semis dans les Alpes centrales en Europe est le résultats de l'invasion d'habitats potentiels plutôt qu'une migration en altitude due aux changements climatiques, bien que les semis atteindront seulement la taille des arbres apr...

show abstract

The carbon budget of an adult Pinus cembra tree at the alpine timberline in the Central Austrian Alps

Cited by 20 publications

References 21 publications

Regional variability of climate–growth relationships in Pinus cembra high elevation forests in the Alps

Regional variability of climate–growth relationships in Pinus cembra high elevation forests in the Alps

Climate/growth relationships in a Pinus cembra high-elevation network in the Southern French Alps

Effects of atmospheric and climate change at the timberline of the Central European Alps

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About