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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2021, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (3): 1-8.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20210301

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Response of Radial Growth of Qinghai Spruce at Different Ages to Climate Change in Qilian Mountains, Northwestern China

Bin Wang1,Pengtao Yu1,*,Yipeng Yu1,Lei Zhang2,3,Yanhui Wang1,Yanfang Wan1,Wenjuan Yang4,Shunli Wang5,Xiande Liu5   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, CAF Beijing 100091
    2. State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100085
    3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049
    4. Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information, CAF Beijing 100091
    5. Academy of Water Resource Conservation Forests of Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province Zhangye 734000
  • Received:2019-11-12 Online:2021-03-25 Published:2021-04-07
  • Contact: Pengtao Yu

Abstract:

Objective: This study was aimed to understand age-related tree growth pattern and their relationship with climate factors, in order to provide a scientific basis for predicting forest dynamics under future climate change and for forestry management in response to climate change. Method: Based on the data of Qinghai spruce forest in 2 sample plots at respective altitudes of 2 800 and 2 900 m in Pailugou small watershed in the middle of Qilian Mountains, the basal area increment (BAI) at breast height was used to characterize the growth of trees. We present the responses of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia) growth to climate change using a stand-total sampling strategy. All the trees in the 2 sample plots were divided into 3 age groups: young (30-60 a), middle-aged (60-90 a), and old (90-120 a).We analyzed the growth difference among the 3 age groups and its key influential factors during the periods of rapid warming (1980-2000) and warming hiatus (2000-2013). Result: During the period from 1980 to 2000, water stress resulted from rapid warming in the study area restricted the growth of trees of all the 3 age groups, the BAI slope of regression line was decline gradually -5.91 mm2·a-1 (P < 0.01), -9.48 mm2·a-1 (P < 0.01), and -14.97 mm2·a-1 (P < 0.01) respectively for the young, the middle-aged, and the old. The percentage of positive correlation between the BAI of the old trees and the average standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index(SPEI) from the current May to August was the largest, indicating that the drought-limiting effect of the old trees was the greatest. From 2000 to 2013, the warming hiatus coupled with increase of precipitation resulted in a relatively warm and humid climate characteristics. As a result, the BAI of different age groups turned into a non-significant increase trend. The BAI slope of regression line was of the young and the middle-aged (2.27 and 2.45 mm2·a-1, respectively) was greater than that of the old (1.02 mm2·a-1). The percentage of significant negative correlation between the old trees and the average temperature of the current June was large. However, the percentage of significant positive correlation between the young and the middle-aged trees and the total precipitation from the last July to the current June and the average SPEI from May to August were large, indicating that after mitigation of drought the warming still has a certain restrictive effect on the growth of old trees. However, the total precipitation from the last July to the current June and the average SPEI from the current May to August promoted the growth of the young and the middle-aged trees. Conclusion: During the rapid warming period, the BAI decline rate of Qinghai spruce in the middle Qilian Mountains gradually increased with the increase of tree age. During the period of warming hiatus, BAI of all age groups resumed the increasing trend, and the BAI increase rate of the young and the middle-aged trees was greater than that of the old trees. During the rapid warming period, the impact of temperature and SPEI on the BAI of the old trees is stronger. While during warming hiatus period, the impact of precipitation and SPEI on the young and the middle-aged trees is greater.

Key words: tree growth, age, warming hiatus, Qinghai spruce

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