Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability
In this study we explore radial growth rates and climatic responses of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) growing in high elevations of the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA. We examine responses between two stands of alpine larch that are separated by less than one kilometer and are gr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2017.1415626 |
| _version_ | 1818874321506926592 |
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| author | Evan E. Montpellier Peter T. Soulé Paul A. Knapp J. Stephen Shelly |
| author_facet | Evan E. Montpellier Peter T. Soulé Paul A. Knapp J. Stephen Shelly |
| author_sort | Evan E. Montpellier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study we explore radial growth rates and climatic responses of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) growing in high elevations of the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA. We examine responses between two stands of alpine larch that are separated by less than one kilometer and are growing at similar elevations, but with different aspects. Radial growth rates from trees sampled on the southern aspect of Trapper Peak (TPS) were largely controlled by January snow-water equivalent, while summer maximum temperature was the principal radial-growth driver for trees sampled on the northern aspect of Trapper Peak (TPN). Following the coldest summer (1993) in the century-long instrumental climate record, the radial growth at TPN became greater than at TPS and was the reverse of what occurred pre-1993. We posit that an upward trend in maximum summer temperature is preferentially benefitting the trees growing on the north-facing TPN site by extending the growing season and causing earlier snowmelt, and this has caused the growth rate divergence during the past two decades. As such, our study illustrates that the growth-divergence phenomenon noted in other high-elevation species, whereby macroenvironmental changes are eliciting responses at the microenvironmental level, occurs within stands of alpine larch growing in western Montana. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:08:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e19d865bc208462497ab40837a8be693 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1523-0430 1938-4246 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:08:45Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-e19d865bc208462497ab40837a8be6932022-12-21T20:19:58ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research1523-04301938-42462018-01-0150110.1080/15230430.2017.14156261415626Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variabilityEvan E. Montpellier0Peter T. Soulé1Paul A. Knapp2J. Stephen Shelly3Appalachian State UniversityAppalachian State UniversityDepartment of Geography, University of North Carolina-GreensboroRenewable Resources Management, USDA Forest ServiceIn this study we explore radial growth rates and climatic responses of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) growing in high elevations of the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA. We examine responses between two stands of alpine larch that are separated by less than one kilometer and are growing at similar elevations, but with different aspects. Radial growth rates from trees sampled on the southern aspect of Trapper Peak (TPS) were largely controlled by January snow-water equivalent, while summer maximum temperature was the principal radial-growth driver for trees sampled on the northern aspect of Trapper Peak (TPN). Following the coldest summer (1993) in the century-long instrumental climate record, the radial growth at TPN became greater than at TPS and was the reverse of what occurred pre-1993. We posit that an upward trend in maximum summer temperature is preferentially benefitting the trees growing on the north-facing TPN site by extending the growing season and causing earlier snowmelt, and this has caused the growth rate divergence during the past two decades. As such, our study illustrates that the growth-divergence phenomenon noted in other high-elevation species, whereby macroenvironmental changes are eliciting responses at the microenvironmental level, occurs within stands of alpine larch growing in western Montana.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2017.1415626alpine larchaspectdivergence problemgrowth divergencemontana |
| spellingShingle | Evan E. Montpellier Peter T. Soulé Paul A. Knapp J. Stephen Shelly Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research alpine larch aspect divergence problem growth divergence montana |
| title | Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability |
| title_full | Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability |
| title_fullStr | Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability |
| title_short | Divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees (Larix lyallii Parl.) in response to microenvironmental variability |
| title_sort | divergent growth rates of alpine larch trees larix lyallii parl in response to microenvironmental variability |
| topic | alpine larch aspect divergence problem growth divergence montana |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2017.1415626 |
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