How Do Mediterranean Pine Trees Respond to Drought and Precipitation Events along an Elevation Gradient?

Szymczak S, Häusser M, Garel E, Santoni S, Huneau F, Knerr I, Trachte K, Bendix J, Bräuning A (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Forests MDPI

Book Volume: 11

Journal Issue: 7

DOI: 10.3390/f11070758

Abstract

Drought is a major factor limiting tree growth and plant vitality. In the Mediterranean region, the length and intensity of drought stress strongly varies with altitude and site conditions. We used electronic dendrometers to analyze the response of two native pine species to drought and precipitation events. The five study sites were located along an elevation gradient on the Mediterranean island of Corsica (France). Positive stem increment in the raw dendrometer measurements was separated into radial stem growth and stem swelling/shrinkage in order to determine which part of the trees' response to climate signals can be attributed to growth. Precipitation events of at least 5 mm and dry periods of at least seven consecutive days without precipitation were determined over a period of two years. Seasonal dynamics of stem circumference changes were highly variable among the five study sites. At higher elevations, seasonal tree growth showed patterns characteristic for cold environments, while low-elevation sites showed bimodal growth patterns characteristic of drought prone areas. The response to precipitation events was uniform and occurred within the first six hours after the beginning of a precipitation event. The majority of stem circumference increases were caused by radial growth, not by stem swelling due to water uptake. Growth-induced stem circumference increase occurred at three of the five sites even during dry periods, which could be attributed to stored water reserves within the trees or the soils. Trees at sites with soils of low water-holding capacity were most vulnerable to dry periods.

Authors with CRIS profile

Sonja Szymczak Institut für Geographie Martin Häusser Institut für Geographie Achim Bräuning Lehrstuhl für Geographie (Physische Geographie)

Involved external institutions

Università di Corsica Pasquale Paoli FR France (FR) Philipps-Universität Marburg DE Germany (DE) Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Szymczak, S., Häusser, M., Garel, E., Santoni, S., Huneau, F., Knerr, I.,... Bräuning, A. (2020). How Do Mediterranean Pine Trees Respond to Drought and Precipitation Events along an Elevation Gradient? Forests, 11(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/f11070758

MLA:

Szymczak, Sonja, et al. "How Do Mediterranean Pine Trees Respond to Drought and Precipitation Events along an Elevation Gradient?" Forests 11.7 (2020).

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