Differences in response of Larix gmelinii growth to rising temperature under different precipitation gradients in northern Daxing’an Mountains of northeastern China

ObjectiveThis paper aims to figure out the response differences of the radial growth of Larix gmelinii under different precipitation gradients in northern Daxing ’an Mountains of northeastern China to climate, especially to recent warming.

MethodIn this paper, three sampling sites, including Moerdaoga (ME, annual total precipitation 363 mm), Tulihe (TLH, 454 mm) and Alihe (ALH, 525 mm), were selected along a precipitation gradient in the northern Daxing ’an Mountains of northeastern China. Under climate warming scenario, the spatial-temporal variations of radial growth of Larix gmelinii in different precipitation conditions and climate relationships were analyzed using the tree-ring climatology method, and the resistance, resilience and elasticity of Larix gmelinii to extreme climate were discussed.

ResultResults showed that the effects of precipitation on the radial growth of Larix gmelinii were small under different precipitation conditions. Only in TLH site, the growth of Larix gmelinii was positively correlated with precipitation in August and autumn. Temperature is the main factor limiting radial growth of Larix gmelinii, its effects significantly differ with site precipitation conditions. In low precipitation area (ME), minimum temperature in growing season is the main limiting factor for the growth of Larix gmelinii. In the middle precipitation area (TLH), minimum temperature in September of previous year had the strongest effect on Larix gmelinii growth. In the high precipitation area (ALH), mean and minimum temperature are the key climatic factors affecting Larix gmelinii tree growth. The increase in temperature during autumn and winter of previous year was not conducive to the increase of Larix gmelinii growth. There was no significant relationship between ME chronology and PDSI. The TLH chronology was significant positively correlated with PDSI. The ALH chronology was significant negatively correlated with PDSI. After rapid warming since 1980s, the radial growth of Larix gmelinii at three sites showed an opposite trend with warming. Compared with the other two sampling sites, Larix gmelinii in ALH had higher resistance to extreme climate, but its resilience was weak.

ConclusionOur results show that water conditions will affect the response of Larix gmelinii to future climate warming, especially in the resistance and resilience of growth to extreme climate.