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Intra-annual stem growth dynamics of Lebanon Cedar along climatic gradients

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An Erratum to this article was published on 12 May 2017

Abstract

Key message

Onset of cambial activity in Lebanon Cedar is triggered by stem temperature but may be delayed by high site-LAI. Higher growth rates and tree-ring widths were observed under better water and light availability. Daily stem radius variations were sensitive to humid conditions.

Abstract

Studies on intra-annual dynamics of stem growth provide useful information on tree growth responses to environmental conditions, but are fragmentary for species from Mediterranean Mountain ranges. Lebanon Cedar is a frost and drought tolerant species, growing between 1000 and 2000 m a.s.l in the Taurus Mountains (Turkey). Foresters see it as a potential candidate for plantation in Central European forests facing global warming. To describe the natural variability of Lebanon Cedar growth dynamics, five study sites were established: four along an altitudinal gradient at a natural site in SW-Turkey and one in a Lebanon Cedar plantation in Central Germany. Two stem growth monitoring methods were used: (1) bi-weekly microcoring during 2013 growing season and (2) point dendrometers during 2013 and 2014. Histological analyses were used to calibrate dendrometer records and to describe cambium phenology. Seasonal dynamics of xylem and stem radial increments were modelled by Gompertz functions. Onset of cambial activity was observed 1–2 weeks after stem temperatures reached a threshold of 5 °C but could be delayed by high site-LAI. Cedars growing under better light and water availability showed higher growth rates and wider tree rings. Daily stem radius variations (dSRV) extracted from dendrometer records were negatively related to vapor pressure deficit and global radiation; multiple linear regressions explained 30–52% of dSRV variance being dominated by relative humidity, precipitation, and soil water content. Best growth performance was observed at the German site, likely for a continuous water supply throughout the year, underlining the potential of Lebanon Cedar for Central European Forestry.

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Abbreviations

A :

Final annual tree-ring width

bE:

Onset of the enlarging phase

bL:

Onset of the cell-wall lignification phase

bM:

Onset of the mature phase

CA:

Cambial activity

cE:

Cessation of the enlarging phase

cL:

Cessation of the cell-wall lignification phase

CRF:

Cedar Research Forest

d :

Time required for major period of tree-ring formation

dE:

Duration of the enlarging phase

dL:

Duration of the lignification phase

DOY:

Day of year

dSRV:

Daily stem radius variation

dX:

Duration of xylogenesis

EBG:

Ecological Botanical Gardens

gR:

Global radiation

LAI:

Leaf area index

MAT:

Mean annual air temperature

Pp:

Precipitation

r :

Mean tree-ring formation rate (during growth period)

rH:

Relative air humidity

RSI:

Radial stem increase

ST:

Stem temperature

SWC:

Soil water content

Ta:

Air temperature (Tamean: daily mean, Tamax: daily maximum, and Tamin: daily minimum)

TAP:

Total annual precipitation

t p :

Time of inflection point

Ts:

Soil temperature

VPD:

Vapor pressure deficit

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Acknowledgements

This research was carried out within the project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (01DL12041) and in cooperation with the Southwest Anatolian Forest Research Institute (SAFRI) in Antalya and the Ecological Botanical Gardens in Bayreuth (EBG). We would like to thank all who have contributed to this work, with special thanks to Neşat Erkan and the employees of SAFRI as well as to Gregor Aas and the employees at the EBG. Furthermore, we would like to thank Özdemir Şentürk, Serkan Gülsoy, Dieter Schmitt, Helmut Dalitz, Sabine Remmele, and Viviana Horna for their contributions and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

    Aylin Güney, Manfred Küppers & Reiner Zimmermann

  2. LERFoB, INRA, AgroParisTech, 54000, Nancy, France

    Cyrille Rathgeber

  3. Department of Forest-Village Relations, Antalya Regional Directorate of Forestry, Antalya, Turkey

    Melahat Şahin

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  1. Aylin Güney
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Correspondence to Aylin Güney.

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Communicated by E. Liang.

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00468-017-1561-3.

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Güney, A., Küppers, M., Rathgeber, C. et al. Intra-annual stem growth dynamics of Lebanon Cedar along climatic gradients. Trees 31, 587–606 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-016-1492-4

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