Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia
European beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) is an important component of forests in the alpine and continental biogeographical regions of Croatia. This study aimed to (1) analyze the long-term response of beech to climate, (2) identify potentially critical climatic conditions that could n...
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2427 |
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| author | Tom Levanič Damir Ugarković Ivan Seletković Mladen Ognjenović Mia Marušić Robert Bogdanić Nenad Potočić |
| author_facet | Tom Levanič Damir Ugarković Ivan Seletković Mladen Ognjenović Mia Marušić Robert Bogdanić Nenad Potočić |
| author_sort | Tom Levanič |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | European beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) is an important component of forests in the alpine and continental biogeographical regions of Croatia. This study aimed to (1) analyze the long-term response of beech to climate, (2) identify potentially critical climatic conditions that could negatively affect the radial increment (RI) and vitality of beech, and (3) evaluate differences in the response of beech between the two biogeographical regions in Croatia. We used the 16 × 16 km Croatian ICP Forests Level 1 network. On a total of 25 plots, we cored between 5 and 24 trees for dendrochronological analysis. Tree-ring widths (TRW) were measured and standardized using cubic spline. TRW chronologies for the two regions were calculated and correlated to the temperature and precipitation data and Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) using bootstrapped correlations. Continental region precipitation from April to August and alpine region precipitation from June to August were significantly important for RI. Temperature was less important for RI than precipitation in both regions, but the importance of the negative impact of above-average temperatures in the continental region and the positive impact of above-average precipitation in the alpine region has increased over the last two decades. A comparison with the 3-month SPEI confirmed the significant influence of high temperatures and the lack of precipitation in August on the RI of beech trees in both regions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:32:48Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:32:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-f79aedd978eb442a8388d3352ac5bad82023-11-18T17:17:19ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-06-011213242710.3390/plants12132427Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of CroatiaTom Levanič0Damir Ugarković1Ivan Seletković2Mladen Ognjenović3Mia Marušić4Robert Bogdanić5Nenad Potočić6Department for Forest Yield and Silviculture, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaFaculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Institute of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 23, HR-10002 Zagreb, CroatiaCroatian Forest Research Institute, Division for Forest Ecology, Cvjetno naselje 41, HR-10450 Jastrebarsko, CroatiaCroatian Forest Research Institute, Division for Forest Ecology, Cvjetno naselje 41, HR-10450 Jastrebarsko, CroatiaCroatian Forest Research Institute, Division for Forest Ecology, Cvjetno naselje 41, HR-10450 Jastrebarsko, CroatiaCroatian Forest Research Institute, Division for Forest Ecology, Cvjetno naselje 41, HR-10450 Jastrebarsko, CroatiaCroatian Forest Research Institute, Division for Forest Ecology, Cvjetno naselje 41, HR-10450 Jastrebarsko, CroatiaEuropean beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) is an important component of forests in the alpine and continental biogeographical regions of Croatia. This study aimed to (1) analyze the long-term response of beech to climate, (2) identify potentially critical climatic conditions that could negatively affect the radial increment (RI) and vitality of beech, and (3) evaluate differences in the response of beech between the two biogeographical regions in Croatia. We used the 16 × 16 km Croatian ICP Forests Level 1 network. On a total of 25 plots, we cored between 5 and 24 trees for dendrochronological analysis. Tree-ring widths (TRW) were measured and standardized using cubic spline. TRW chronologies for the two regions were calculated and correlated to the temperature and precipitation data and Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) using bootstrapped correlations. Continental region precipitation from April to August and alpine region precipitation from June to August were significantly important for RI. Temperature was less important for RI than precipitation in both regions, but the importance of the negative impact of above-average temperatures in the continental region and the positive impact of above-average precipitation in the alpine region has increased over the last two decades. A comparison with the 3-month SPEI confirmed the significant influence of high temperatures and the lack of precipitation in August on the RI of beech trees in both regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2427climate changetree growthforest productivitydroughtEuropean beech |
| spellingShingle | Tom Levanič Damir Ugarković Ivan Seletković Mladen Ognjenović Mia Marušić Robert Bogdanić Nenad Potočić Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia Plants climate change tree growth forest productivity drought European beech |
| title | Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia |
| title_full | Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia |
| title_fullStr | Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia |
| title_short | Radial Increment of Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) Is under a Strong Impact of Climate in the Continental Biogeographical Region of Croatia |
| title_sort | radial increment of beech i fagus sylvatica i l is under a strong impact of climate in the continental biogeographical region of croatia |
| topic | climate change tree growth forest productivity drought European beech |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2427 |
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