Changes in the Dendroclimatic Response of the Picea Jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere along Altitudinal Gradient in the Southern Sikhote-Alin.

We have studied the influence of precipitation and surface air temperature on the radial growth of Yezo spruce Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere, as well as changes in this influence with increasing altitude in southern Sikhote-Alin. For the purpose of the study, 444 cores were taken from eight sites located within the small river basin at altitudes from 460 to 1060 m a.s.l. As a result of the study, for the first time for the south of the Russian Far East, eight tree-ring chronologies were created based on Yezo spruce tree rings measurements with a duration of 171 to 267 years. An analysis of the correlation between the chronologies and climate data shows that the radial growth of the Yezo spruce within the southern Sikhote-Alin is influenced by precipitation in July–August of the current year (r = –0.33 to –0.60), the average maximum temperature in July–August of the previous year (r = –0.25 to –0.47), and the maximum temperature in November of the previous year (r = –0.34 to –0.54). It is shown that the values of the correlation coefficient of chronologies with maximum temperatures quickly decrease with increasing altitude above sea level. At the same time, there is no significant change in the value of the correlation coefficient of chronologies with precipitation with an increase in altitude above sea level. The results show the complexity of the relationship between the radial growth of Yezu spruce and climate data and suggest that climate warming in southern Sikhote-Alin will have the greatest negative impact on the growth the spruce trees at altitudes up to 600–650 m a.s.l. The increase in precipitation will adversely affect Yezo spruce growth in the upper mountain belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]