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| Titel |
Tree-ring stable isotope and growth impacts of climate variability: future implications for prairie-forest ecotones |
| VerfasserIn |
Alexis S. Reed, Sharon A. Billings |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2010
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 12 (2010) |
| Datensatznummer |
250038178
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Shifts in prairie-forest ecotones are expected with forecasted global climate change.
Understanding how co-occurring tree species respond to environmental variability may help
in understanding species responses and potential retraction of tree species under future
climate conditions. Contrasting growth-climate relationships derived from tree-rings among
co-occurring Quercus macrocarpa, a predominant tree species along the North American
prairie-forest ecotone, and Q. rubra, a species generally found in more mesic conditions,
suggests a constant growth-climate relationship throughout the life of the tree. For example,
no significant difference (P> 0.05) was found between residuals from regression of tree-ring
basal area increments and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) in early or later years
of either species, as derived from increment cores. These findings contrast with
recent evidence of declines in drought sensitivity in Q. macrocarpa as this species
ages, which may be linked to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and
emphasize the need for further understanding of prairie-forest ecotone dynamics.
Utilization of δ13C data from α-cellulose will provide further insight into the changing
water-use and carbon dynamics in response to climate variability. Used in conjunction
with growth-climate relationships, δ13C data may also assist in predicting future
drought sensitivity and forest retraction in trees in prairie-forest ecotones. Continued
sensitivity to drought regardless of the age of a tree remains an important concern in
predicting future species ranges and prairie-forest species composition in the future. |
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