Stand characteristics modulate secondary growth responses to drought and gross primary production in Pinus halepensis afforestation

Impacts of climate warming on forests vigour are forecasted to increase in magnitude. Yet it remains unclear how stand characteristics and competition modulate the relationship between tree growth and gross primary production with drought. Here, we studied how the spatial variation in stand density, basal area and height modulates tree growth (Basal Area Increment, BAI and stand growth), summer NDVI, as well as their responses to drought (Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index, SPEI) in 56 Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) planted forests located in Northeast Spain. Long-term BAI responses to SPEI were strongly determined by stand density, suggesting that competition modulates Aleppo pine growth responses to drought. Along this, summer NDVI also displayed strong associations with SPEI. NDVI was mostly related with stand growth, suggesting canopy densification drives NDVI pattern and trends. Short-term BAI and NDVI responses to severe droughts were mainly independent of stand characteristics. In the studied region, drought is a universal factor limiting Aleppo pine secondary growth and canopy greening. However, the results suggest that stand density modulates Aleppo pine growth responses to drought on the long-term, reducing the growth in densest stands. Denser stands with larger trees are the ones that present higher NDVI values, suggesting that canopy activity depends more on stand canopy coverage than on secondary growth rate and its response to drought. In these Mediterranean pines, canopy activity and secondary growth are temporally coupled but spatially decoupled.

Automated summary

The relationship between tree growth and gross primary production with drought is influenced by stand characteristics and competition, with stand density playing a significant role in long-term growth responses. Canopy densification drives the pattern and trends in summer NDVI, indicating the importance of stand canopy coverage. Short-term growth and NDVI responses to severe droughts are independent of stand characteristics.