Climate variability, soil aridity, and growth rate of Pinus pinea L. in Castelporziano forest: an exploratory data analysis

Abstract

Sensitivity to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance is a typical feature of Mediterranean forests growing under dynamic and manipulated environmental conditions. In the present study, a large sample of stone pines (Pinus pinea L.) was analyzed in five sites of Castelporziano and Castelfusano forests (Rome, central Italy) to assess tree-growth variability with the aim to derive information on long-term climatic trends possibly reflected in the radial growth response. The multivariate exploratory analysis of tree ring widths, which were standardized to remove the age trend, showed a marked spatial variability among sites and a heterogeneous time pattern that allows for the classification of the investigated years into three homogeneous groups : 1964: -1974: , 1975: -1997: , and 1998: . The years 1975: and 1998 were identified as the candidate break points in the local climate regime. Coherence of the 1998 break point was verified by comparing two time intervals (1981-1997 and 1998-2011) of the meteorological time series of precipitation and temperatures available for Castelporziano station. Results indicate a significant shift toward aridity and warming in the area supporting the information obtained from the analysis of dendro-chronological time series. Implications of the spatio-temporal monitoring of climate variations through indirect sources are discussed in the light of conservation of the residual pristine forest of Castelporziano taken as a paradigmatic example for other Mediterranean coastal forests.

Mediterranean coastal pine forest stands: Understorey distinctiveness or not?

“…Although pines are the most common plantation species worldwide (about 20% of total plantation area) (FAO, 2001), pine forests have been considered "second choice" in plant community research compared with other forest types. However, pine-climate interactions (Mazza et al, 2011(Mazza et al, , 2014Cutini et al, 2015), fire practices and their effects (Fernandes & Botelho, 2004;Rigolot, 2004;Fernandes et al, 2008) and dendrochronology are widely debated in the scientific literature (Calama et al, 2003;Calama & Montero, 2005). Although they are threatened like other dunal plant communities, the understoreys of these forests and the processes that drive them are still largely unknown and the importance of plantation forests for biodiversity conservation goals is a controversial issue.…”

Differential Tree Growth Response to Management History and Climate in Multi-Aged Stands of Pinus pinea L.

“…The main data related to the structural features of the investigated stands provide comprehensive evidence of the crucial role of silvicultural management and its changing schemes through time on tree growth dynamics. In the literature, with some exceptions (e.g., [42]), umbrella pinewoods are most commonly reported as even-aged (or monolayered) stands [50,51] issuing from plantation or either natural or artificial regeneration following clear-cutting on more or less large surfaces [17,21]. Our uneven-aged studied stand therefore represents a valuable opportunity to improve knowledge about certain age-related processes (e.g., growth and regeneration; [42]) at the population level in multilayered stands.…”

Climate change impacts on spatial distribution, tree-ring growth, and water use of stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) forests in the Mediterranean region and silvicultural practices to limit those impacts

“…Stone pine plantation dates back to the Roman period, and it was traditionally cultivated for timber and pine nuts. However, its recreational and landscape value has increased in recent decades (Mazza et al 2011), and is currently used for the consolidation of sand dunes and protect soil from erosion (Cutini et al 2014). Indeed, its multi-layered root system allows mature trees to extract water at different depths and from various sources (Cutini et al 2013).…”

“…Sensitivity to climate change and anthropogenic disturbances are common features of Mediterranean forests, which grow under dynamic and manipulated environmental conditions (Cutini et al 2014). Many of the projected changes in climate, as well as the indirect effects of these changes, are likely to have a negative impact on forest systems (Keenan et al 2015).…”