Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (2): 327-338.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.02.04

• Weather and Climate • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Picea schrenkiana response to climate change at different altitudes in Tianshan Mountains

Shirenna Jiahan1,2,3(),ZHANG Tongwen2,3,YU Shulong2,3,JIANG Shengxia2,3,XU Zhonglin1()   

  1. 1. College of Resources and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China
    2. Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, Xinjiang, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Tree-ring Physicochemical Research of China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2020-06-28 Revised:2020-10-17 Online:2021-03-15 Published:2021-04-25
  • Contact: Zhonglin XU E-mail:1193080242@qq.com;zlxu@xju.edu.cn

Abstract:

In order to study the difference in the response of radial growth of Picea schrenkiana to climate factors at different altitudes, the core samples of schrenk spruce were collected from the low, middle and high altitudes forest areas in the Nilka Kashi river basin of the Western Tianshan Mountains, the tree ring-width standard dendrochronology at different altitude was established. The result of correlation analysis between tree ring chronology and meteorological data showed that, The chronology of the three sampling points mainly responded to temperature and relative humidity, but responded weakly to precipitation. The radial growth of tree ring at high and low altitudes had the same response to temperature and relative humidity, both of which have positive response to temperature, and negative response to relative humidity, while the radial growth at middle altitude was opposite to high and low altitudes. Since the study area occured abrupt climate change in 1991, the width of schrenk spruce appeared the “growth differentiation”, the tree-ring width index of low-high altitudes showed a downward trend, while the middle altitude showed an upward trend. Before and after the abrupt transition point, the radial growth of trees had an unstable response to temperature and relative humidity. The positive correlation of the mid-altitude chronology to the temperature from May to September and the negative correlation to the relative humidity were significantly enhanced, The low and high altitude chronology had a significant negative correlation with the temperature from July to August, and a significant positive correlation with the relative humidity from June to August. According to the response model of schrenk spruce to climate factors, the rapid warming will lead to intensified evaporation, and the relative humidity decrease, which may cause negative effects on the growth of schrenk spruce in the low and high altitude forest, and the appropriate temperature increase may promote the growth of schrenk spruce in the middle forest.

Key words: Tianshan, Picea schrenkiana, tree ring, different altitudes, climate change, divergence phenomenon