Regional and ecological patterns in interior Douglas-fir climate-growth relationships in British Columbia, Canada

How climate change will affect tree growth across species' geographic and climatic ranges remains a critical knowledge gap Tree-ring data were analyzed from 33 interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesu var glauca (Beissn) Franco) stands spanning wide geographic and climatic conditions in the interior of British Columbia to gain insights into how within-species growth responses to climate can vary based on local environmental conditions over a broad climatic and geographic range, including populations growing at the species' range and climatic margins Populations growing in relatively warm and dry climates had growth patterns correlated mostly with annual precipitation, whereas populations growing in high-elevation wet and cold climates had growth patterns correlated with snowfall, winter and annual temperatures, and ocean atmosphere climate systems Populations growing at climatic extremes (e g, coldest, driest, warmest) in each study region had the strongest responses to climate Projected climate change may negatively influence Douglas-fir productivity across most of its range. and populations growing near the species' climatic limits may provide early and strong indications of future responses