Tree Ring Width Responses of Pinus densiflora and Robinia pseudoacacia to Climate Variation in the Mount Tai Area of Northern China

Rising temperatures and fluctuating precipitation are significantly constraining tree ring growth in two dominant species, Pinus densiflora and Robinia pseudoacacia, at Mount Taishan. The study, spanning 1972–2022, reveals that while P. densiflora exhibits a declining trend in basal area increment, R. pseudoacacia shows initial stability followed by reduction. Tree ring width correlations with climate variables indicate complex dependencies: P. densiflora responds positively to warmer February–July temperatures and specific precipitation periods, whereas R. pseudoacacia is influenced by temperature shifts in October (previous year) and May–July (current year), with notable sensitivity to moisture conditions. Critical periods of growth restriction coincide with extreme climate events (1987–2019). Moisture indices emerge as the primary determinant of tree ring dynamics, underscoring the vulnerability of these species to climate change.

He, Y., Yu, Q., Wang, G., Hao, M., Fan, S., Hu, D., Li, Z., & Gao, P. (2023). Tree Ring Width Responses of Pinus densiflora and Robinia pseudoacacia to Climate Variation in the Mount Tai Area of Northern China. Forests, 14(10), 2087. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102087