Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Variations in the growth response of Pinus tabulaeformis to a warming climate at the northern limits of its natural range

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Trees Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Key message

Higher temperatures are changing the geographical locations in which Pinus tabulaeformis plantations thrive. Future plantations should be located in the warmer, wetter regions of northern China.

Abstract

The adaptability of fragile plantation ecosystems to environmental change, especially in our currently warming climate, has become an important issue. We studied the growth of Pinus tabulaeformis, a tree species endemic to China and widely used in plantations, along a climate–latitude gradient. We established a regional tree ring data network for P. tabulaeformis based on 1340 cores from 28 plantations at the northern limits of its natural range in China and studied the association between the radial growth of the pines and climate factors in a changing environment. Our results show that increasing temperatures have led to changes in the distribution of P. tabulaeformis, with plantations expanding in the southern sub-regions and shrinking in the northern sub-regions. An increase in temperature and the subsequent effect on the availability of water is the most important factor in the different responses of P. tabulaeformis growth to climate change. Relatively wetter regions, such as the southern part of our study area, may be better locations to develop future P. tabulaeformis plantations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The raw data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time as the data also forms part of an ongoing study. But we uploaded the processed data.

References

  • Allen CD, Breshears DD (1998) Drought-induced shift of a forest-woodland ecotone: rapid landscape response to climate variation. Proc Natl Acad Sci 95:14839–14842

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Beech E, Rivers M, Oldfield S, Smith PP (2017) GlobalTreeSearch: the first complete global database of tree species and country distributions. J Sustain For 36:454–489. https://doi.org/10.1080/10549811.2017.1310049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z, Zhang X, He X, Davi NK, Li L, Bai X (2015) Response of radial growth to warming and CO2 enrichment in southern northeast China: a case of Pinus tabulaeformis. Clim Change 129:559–571. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-015-1356-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cook ER, Holmes RL (1986) Users manual for program AR-STAN. University of Arizona, Tucson

    Google Scholar 

  • Deng Y, Gou X, Gao L, Zhang F, Xu X, Yang M (2016) Tree-ring recorded drought variability in the northern Min Mountains of northwestern China. Int J Climatol 36:3550–3560. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4575

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2017) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Domec J-C, King JS, Ward E, Oishi AC, Palmroth S, Radecki A, Bell DM, Miao G, Gavazzi M, Johnson DM, McNulty SG, Sun G, Noormets A (2015) Conversion of natural forests to managed forest plantations decreases tree resistance to prolonged droughts. For Ecol Manag 355:58–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.04.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du H, Liu J, Li M-H, Büntgen U, Yang Y, Wang L, Wu Z, He HS (2018) Warming-induced upward migration of the alpine treeline in the Changbai Mountains, northeast China. Glob Change Biol 24:1256–1266. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13963

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fan H, Chen L, Chen Z, Gu J (2019) Response of radial growth of Pinus tabulaeformis and Larix gmelinii to meteorological factors in mountainous region of northern Hebei province. J Central South Univ For Technol 39:52–57

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2010) Global forest resources assessment 2010: main report. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritts HC (1976) Tree rings and climate. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartl-Meier C, Dittmar C, Zang C, Rothe A (2014) Mountain forest growth response to climate change in the northern Limestone Alps. Trees Struct Funct 28:819–829. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-0994-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hızal A, Gökbulak F, Zengin M, Ercan M, Karakaş A, Tuğrul D (2013) Effect of vegetation change from native broadleaf forest to coniferous plantation on selected soil properties. Environ Monit Assess 185:10249–10256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3329-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holmes RL (1983) Computer-assisted quality control in tree-ring dating and measurement. Tree Ring Bull 43:69–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu S, Yu J, Hu K, Jin M (2010) Impacts of Chinese pine (Pinus Tabulaeformis) plantations on rainfall redistribution processes: a case study for the mountainous area of north China. Acta Ecol Sin 30:1751–1757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Z, Clinton PW, Davis MR, Yang Y (2011) Impacts of plantation forest management on soil organic matter quality. J Soils Sedim 11:1309–1316. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-011-0440-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2014) Climate change 2014: synthesis report and impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Ivanov NN (1948) Landscape-climatic zones of the earth surface. Publication of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia X, Zha T, Wu B, Zhang Y, Chen W, Wang X, Yu H, He G (2013) Temperature response of soil respiration in a Chinese pine plantation: hysteresis and seasonal vs. diel Q10. PLoS ONE 8:e57858

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang F, Yu Z, Zeng D (2007) An ecological perspective of afforesting Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) plantations in western Liaoning province. Chin J Ecol 26:2069–2074

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiao L, Jiang Y, Zhang W, Wang M, Wang S, Liu X (2019) Assessing the stability of radial growth responses to climate change by two dominant conifer trees species in the Tianshan Mountains, northwest China. For Ecol Manag 433:667–677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.11.046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leng W, He HS, Bu R, Dai L, Hu Y, Wang X (2008) Predicting the distributions of suitable habitat for three larch species under climate warming in northeastern China. For Ecol Manage 254:420–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2007.08.031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Xu G, Guo K, Du S (2016) Geographical boundary and climatic analysis of Pinus tabulaeformis in China: insights on its afforestation. Ecol Eng 86:75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.10.032

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang E, Eckstein D, Liu H (2008) Climate-growth relationships of relict Pinus tabulaeformis at the northern limit of its natural distribution in northern China. J Veg Sci 19:393–406. https://doi.org/10.3170/2008-8-18379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang F, Zhu Q, Wang L, Li P, Zheng X, Zhao Y (2015) Influence of climate factors on radial growth of Pinus tabulaeformis in loess area of northern Shaanxi. J Northwest Agric For Univ 43:33–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Liou TN (1955) Illustrated flora of ligneous plants of northeast China. Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Cui H, Yu P, Huang Y (2002) The origin of remnant forest stands of Pinus tabulaeformis in southeastern Inner Mongolia. Plant Ecol 158:139–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Williams AP, Allen CD, Guo D, Wu X, Anenkhonov O, Liang E, Sandanov DV, Yin Y, Qi Z, Badmaeva NK (2013a) Rapid warming accelerates tree growth decline in semi-arid forests of Inner Asia. Glob Change Biol 19:2500–2510. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Wang Y, Li Q, Sun J, Song H, Cai Q, Zhang Y, Yuan Z, Wang Z (2013b) Reconstructed May–July mean maximum temperature since 1745 AD based on tree-ring width of Pinus tabulaeformis in Qianshan Mountain, China. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 388:145–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.08.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyu S, Wang X, Zhang Y, Li Z (2017) Different responses of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and Mongolia oak (Quercus mongolica) growth to recent climate warming in northeast China. Dendrochronologia 45:113–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2017.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma D, Liu Z, Lyu S, Michael N, Rong X, Cheng G, Wang F (2013) Short-term climatic impacts of afforestation in the east Asian monsoon region. Chin Sci Bull 58:2073–2081. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-012-5661-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie MD, Schmidt MG, Bedford L (2005) Soil microclimate and nitrogen availability 10 years after mechanical site preparation in northern British Columbia. Can J For Res 35:1854–1866. https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mäkinen H, Nöjd P, Kahle H-P, Neumann U, Tveite B, Mielikäinel K, Röhle H, Spiecker H (2003) Large-scale climatic variability and radial increment variation of Picea abies (L.) Karst. In central and northern Europe. Trees Struct Funct 17:173–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-002-0220-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Callaghan CJ, Irwin S, Byrne KA, O’Halloran J (2017) The role of planted forests in the provision of habitat: an Irish perspective. Biodivers Conserv 26:3103–3124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1125-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng J, He X, Chen Z, Cui M, Zhang X, Zhou C (2012) Responses of Pinus tabulaeformis forest ecosystem in north China to climate change and elevated CO2: a simulation based on BIOME-BGC model and tree-ring data. Chin J Appl Ecol 23:1733–1742

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piao S, Ciais P, Friedlingstein P, Peylin P, Reichstein M, Luyssaert S, Margolis H, Fang J, Barr A, Chen A, Grelle A, Hollinger DY, Laurila T, Lindroth A, Richardson AD, Vesala T (2008) Net carbon dioxide losses of northern ecosystems in response to autumn warming. Nature 451:49–52. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06444

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pörtner HO, Farrell AP (2008) Physiology and climate change. Science 322:690–692

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rangan H, Kull CA, Alexander L (2010) Forest plantations, water availability, and regional climate change: controversies surrounding Acacia mearnsii plantations in the upper Palnis Hills, southern India. Reg Environ Change 10:103–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-009-0098-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silvertown JW (1982) Introduction to plant population ecology. Vegetation 56:86

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit C, Béguin D, Buttler A, Müller-Schärer H (2005) Safe sites for tree regeneration in wooded pastures: a case of associational resistance? J Veg Sci 16:209–214. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2005.tb02357.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun J, Liu Y (2014) Responses of tree-ring growth and crop yield to drought indices in the Shanxi province, North China. Int J Biometeorol 58:1521–1530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0757-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Su-See L (1999) Forest health in plantation forests in south-east Asia. Australas Plant Pathol 28:283–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tranquillini W (1979) Physiological ecology of the Alpine timberline. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Vaganov EA, Hughes MK, Kirdyanov AV, Schweingruber FH, Silkin PP (1999) Influence of snowfall and melt timing on tree growth in subarctic Eurasia. Nature 400:149–151

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Mantgem PJ, Stephenson NL (2007) Apparent climatically induced increase of tree mortality rates in a temperate forest. Ecol Lett 10:909–916. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01080.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Mantgem PJ, Stephenson NL, Byrne JC, Daniels LD, Franklin JF, Fulé PZ, Harmon ME, Larson AJ, Smith JM, Taylor AH, Veblen TT (2009) Widespread increase of tree mortality rates in the western United States. Science 323:521–524. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1165000

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Venegas-González A, Roig FA, Lisi CS, Albiero-Junior A, Alvares CA, Tomazello-Filho M (2018) Drought and climate change incidence on hospot Cedrela forests from the Mata Atlântica biome in southeastern Brazil. Glob Ecol Conserv 15:e00408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Yan X, Wang Z (2014) The biogeophysical effects of extreme afforestation in modeling future climate. Theor Appl Climatol 118:511–521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1085-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wigley TML, Briffa KR, Jones PD (1984) On the average value of correlated time series, with applications in dendroclimatology and hydrometeorology. J Climatol Appl Meterol 23:201–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu S, Pan T, Liu Y, Deng H, Jiao K, Lu Q, Feng A, Yue X, Yin Y, Zhao D, Gao J (2017) Comprehensive climate change risk regionalization of China. Acta Geogr Sin 72:3–17. https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201701001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu H (1990) Pinus tabulaeformis. China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu H (1998) Sandy forest ecosystem of china. China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamaguchi DK (1991) A simple method for cross-dating increment cores from living trees. Can J For Res 21:414–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Shangguan Z (2006) Nutrient distributions and bio-cycle patterns in both natural and artificial Pinus tabulaeformis forests in Hilly Loess Regions. Acta Ecol Sin 26:373–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Liu Y, Song H, Cai Q, Qiang L, Zhao B, Liu H, Mei R (2017) Interannual variability of PDSI from tree-ring widths for the past 278 years in Baotou, China. Trees Struct Funct 31:1531–1541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-017-1567-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao S, Jiang Y, Dong M, Xu H, Manzanedo RD, Pederson N (2018) Early monsoon failure and mid-summer dryness induces growth cessation of lower range margin Picea crassifolia. Trees Struct Funct 32:1401–1413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-018-1721-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang L, Axmacher JC, Sang W (2017) Different radial growth responses to climate warming by two dominant tree species at their upper altitudinal limit on Changbai Mountain. J For Res 28:795–804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-016-0364-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Xuepeng Zhao and Xiaoyu Duan for their help with the fieldwork. We thank Meiting Hou and Xu Lu for the meteorological data.

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China Project (31570632, 41888101, 41871027, 41571094 and 41601045).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tree-Ring Laboratory/Research Station of Liaohe-River Plain Forest Ecosystem CFERN, College of Forestry, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China

    Lixin Cai, Yuting Jin & Zhenju Chen

  2. College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China

    Junxia Li, Xueping Bai & Zhenju Chen

  3. Qingyuan Forest CERN, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110164, China

    Zhenju Chen

Authors
  1. Lixin Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Junxia Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xueping Bai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuting Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhenju Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhenju Chen.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Communicated by Eryuan Liang.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 528 kb)

Supplementary file2 (XLSX 14 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cai, L., Li, J., Bai, X. et al. Variations in the growth response of Pinus tabulaeformis to a warming climate at the northern limits of its natural range. Trees 34, 707–719 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-019-01950-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-019-01950-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation