Temporal Changes in Growth-Climate Relationship of Pinus taiwanensis Hayata in Subtropical China

Whether the tree growth-climate relationship is consistent in subtropical China has not yet been reported. To fill this gap, we chose Pinus taiwanensis which grow on Lushan Mountain in a subtropical region of China as the target tree species, established a standard tree-ring width chronology, and conducted a moving correlation analysis with climatic factors. The results showed that the relationship between radial growth of P. taiwanensis and climate changed significantly during 1980-1990. From 1955 to 1985, tree rings were negatively affected mainly by precipitation in September of the current growing season. From 1990 to 2014, however, a significant negative correlation appeared between tree rings and sunshine duration from March to April in the growing season. Our results suggest the need to pay attention to this growth-climate inconsistency when conducting dendroclimatology studies in subtropical China. However, the causes of the inconsistency still require further confirmation.

Automated summary

This study investigates the growth-climate relationship of Pinus taiwanensis in subtropical China, and finds a significant change in the relationship between 1980-1990. During this period, tree growth was mainly negatively affected by precipitation in September of the growing season. From 1990 to 2014, a significant negative correlation appeared between tree growth and sunshine duration from March to April in the growing season. These findings highlight the need to consider growth-climate inconsistency in dendroclimatology studies in subtropical China.