Arid Zone Research ›› 2022, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (5): 1449-1463.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2022.05.10

• Applied Climate • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Response divergence of radial growth to climate change in earlywood and latewood of Larix principis-rupprechtii in Luya Mountain

GUO Yili1,2(),LI Shuheng1,2(),WANG Jiachuan1,2,HAN Yijie1,2   

  1. 1. College of Urban and Environment Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, Shaanxi, China
    2. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, Xi’an 710127, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2022-04-02 Revised:2022-06-13 Online:2022-09-15 Published:2022-10-25
  • Contact: Shuheng LI E-mail:GuoYili2021@163.com;lish@nwu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Based on the annual ring cores of Larix principis-rupprechtii collected from three altitudes of Luya Mountain, the residual chronology of earlywood and latewood tree rings was established. Using the method of tree ring climatology and taking 1984/1985 as the boundary, heterogeneity characteristics of radial growth of earlywood and latewood of L. principis-rupprechtii at different altitudes in response to climate factors in 1957-1984 and 1985-2020 were discussed. The results showed that the following: (1) the radial growth changes of earlywood and latewood were difficult to fit the climate warming trend in the study area from 1957 to 2020, and the response to temperature is separated. (2) From 1957 to 1984, no significant correlation existed between low altitude and climate factors in the growth of earlywood. Precipitation during the growing season, which had a significant positive correlation with precipitation in March and negative correlation in June, had an obvious restrictive effect on the growth of earlywood at medium and high altitudes. The precipitation factors in the growing season from 1985 to 2020 had a significant positive correlation with precipitation in April and had an influence on the growth of earlywood at a low altitude, thereby enhancing it. The growth of earlywood at medium and high altitudes was mainly affected by precipitation in January, and the restrictive effect on the growth and development of earlywood at medium and high altitudes was weakened. (3) Nutrient accumulation before growth is very important for latewood growth of L. principis-rupprechtii: from 1957 to 1984. The chronology of latewood width at three altitudes showed a significant positive correlation with precipitation in May. From 1985 to 2020, the radial growth of tree latewood was limited by the comprehensive factors of temperature and precipitation before growth in November of the previous year and January, March, and May of the current year. (4) In two different time periods, the change of the pattern of earlywood growth at a low altitude may have been caused by drought stress, which was caused by increased temperatures. The difference in the growth patterns of earlywood at medium and high altitudes was most likely due to the fact that the increased temperature alleviated the inhibitory effect of low temperature on the growth of earlywood at medium and high altitudes. With global warming, there are different response characteristics and response modes of earlywood and latewood of L. principis-rupprechtii of three altitudes of Luya Mountain to climate factors in two time periods. There is a certain “response divergence” phenomenon with the response of climate factors that should be considered concerning future climate reconstruction in this area.

Key words: Luya Mountain, Larix principis-rupprechtii, elevation gradient, earlywood ring width, latewood ring width, climate change, response divergence