High autumn temperature delays spring bud burst in boreal trees, counterbalancing the effect of climatic warming

The effect of temperature during short-day (SD) dormancy induction was examined in three boreal tree species in a controlled environment. Saplings of Betula pendula Roth, B. Pubescens Ehrh. and Alnus glutinosa (L.) Moench. were exposed to 5 weeks of 10-h SD induction at 9, 15 and 21 degreesC followed by chilling at 5 degreesC for 40, 70, 100 and 130 days and subsequent forcing at 15 degreesC in a 24-h photoperiod for 60 days. In all species and with all chilling periods, high temperature during SD dormancy induction significantly delayed bud burst during subsequent flushing at 15 degreesC. In A. glutinosa, high temperature during SD dormancy induction also significantly increased the chilling requirement for dormancy release. Field experiments at 60degrees N with a range of latitudinal birch populations revealed a highly significant correlation between autumn temperature and days to bud burst in the subsequent spring. September temperature alone explained 20% of the variation between years in time of bud burst. In birch populations from 69 and 71degrees N, which ceased growing and shed their leaves in August when the mean temperature was 15 degreesC, bud burst occurred later than expected compared with lower latitude populations (56degrees N) in which dormancy induction took place more than 2 months later at a mean temperature of about 6 degreesC. It is concluded that this autumn temperature response may be important for counterbalancing the potentially adverse effects of higher winter temperatures on dormancy stability of boreal trees during climate warming.