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Tree-ring response of subtropical tree species in southeast China on regional climate and sea-surface temperature variations

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Abstract

Tree-ring width chronologies of Tsuga longibracteata (Fujian) and Chamaecyparis obtusa (Taiwan) were developed from southeast China, and climatic factors affecting the tree-ring widths of T. longibracteata and C. obtusa were examined. Similar correlations between tree-ring chronologies and climate data demonstrated common response of radial growth of the two species to climate. The radial growth of T. longibracteata and C. obtusa was mainly limited by autumn and winter temperature. In contrast, both chronologies are negatively correlated with precipitation in September of the previous year and September of the current year. Spatial climate correlation analyses with gridded land surface climate data revealed that variations in the ring width contain a strong regional temperature signal for southeast China. Spatial correlation with sea-surface temperature fields highlights the influence of the Pacific Ocean. Wavelet analysis reveals multi-decadal scale variability between 20 and 40 years, and higher frequency power for ring widths between 2 and 9 years, the typical range of ENSO. While ring widths appears to respond to temperature and the ENSO events, we highlight the need for far more detailed dendrochronological response studies for southeast China, particularly with regard to the role of temperature during winter.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Meteorology Public welfare Industry Research Special project (GYHY201106013), the Foundation of Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems Ministry of Education in Lanzhou University, the NSFC Project (40890051). We thank the reviewers very much whose comments greatly benefitted this manuscript. We also wish to thank Dr. William E. Wright and the NOAA Paleoclimatology International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) for data support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Tree-ring Physical and Chemical Research of China Meteorological Administration, Xinjiang Laboratory of Tree-Ring Ecology, Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Ürümqi, 830002, China

    Feng Chen, Yujiang Yuan, Wenshou Wei, Shulong Yu & Huiqing Wang

  2. MOE Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental System, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Feng Chen

  3. College of Earth and Environmental Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 830002, China

    Huiqing Wang

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  1. Feng Chen
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  2. Yujiang Yuan
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  3. Wenshou Wei
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  4. Shulong Yu
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  5. Huiqing Wang
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Correspondence to Feng Chen.

Additional information

Communicated by A. Braeuning.

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Chen, F., Yuan, Y., Wei, W. et al. Tree-ring response of subtropical tree species in southeast China on regional climate and sea-surface temperature variations. Trees 29, 17–24 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-013-0951-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-013-0951-4

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