Reversibility of Interannual Tree Growth Variability in Southern Boreal Forest

Area of Science:

• Forest ecology
• Climate change science
• Dendrochronology

Background:

• The southern boreal forest is sensitive to climate change, impacting tree growth patterns.
• Understanding climate change effects on tree growth variability is crucial for forest management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate temporal changes in interannual tree growth variability in a temperate-boreal forest ecotone in northeastern China.
• To determine if climate variation has increased tree growth variability and if this trend is reversible under warming.

Main Methods:

• Field investigation and dendrochronological analysis of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii).
• Evaluation of temporal changes in standardized basal area increment and interannual growth variability.
• Analysis of climate data (temperature and moisture variability) during growing and non-growing seasons.

Main Results:

• Interannual tree growth variability of Dahurian larch significantly increased from 1980-2006, coinciding with rapid warming.
• This increase was linked to greater interannual variability in moisture and growing season temperature.
• From 2007-2018, growth variability decreased, attributed to reduced temperature variability and increased non-growing season temperatures.

Conclusions:

• Tree growth variability in the southern boreal forest is reversible under near-term climate warming.
• This finding offers a nuanced perspective, challenging assumptions of irreversible shifts in forest stability.
• Tree height and changes in early growing season temperature influence spatial variations in growth variability.