Effect of Type of Forest Growth Conditions and Climate Elements on the Dynamics of Radial Growth in English Oak (Quercus robur L.) of Early and Late Phenological Forms

Abstract

The pattern of annual radial growth is influenced by various factors: the local growth conditions, the age structure, and the ecotypes or provenances of trees. A more in-depth approach to the study of specific growth patterns of tree forms is needed to predict the further genesis of forests. This research was carried out on healthy English oak trees of early (EF) and late (LF) phenological forms in Shipov Forest, Voronezh Region. The dendroclimatic analysis was performed on permanent sample plots in wet, dry, and very dry oak stands grown on different soil types. The effect of precipitation on annual ring width was assessed using a one-way ANOVA. The LF showed higher radial growth rates on wet sites than the EF did on dry ones. Their annual radial growth was less stable and more variable compared with the LF. For both phenoforms, the most important radial growth factors are the composite indicators reflecting the ratio of temperature and moisture (Selyaninov’s hydrothermal coefficient and Lang’s rain factor). Generally, the radial growth minima coincided in time on dry and wet sites, and the periods of maximum growth were associated with high-water years.

Developing a Model for Curve-Fitting a Tree Stem’s Cross-Sectional Shape and Sapwood–Heartwood Transition in a Polar Diagram System Using Nonlinear Regression

“…Dendrochronology reads annual tree-ring variations to analyze a tree's archaeological and historical structures for reconstructing past climates and significantly contributes to environmental science development [22]. Tree-ring chronologies, which may contain dimensional variations and circular shape deviations, provide high-frequency signals [23] that record a tree's responses to the silvicultural system [24,25] and its habitat's environmental condition history (i.e., climate [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34], pollutants [35,36], and water-heat stress [37]) during its growing periods yielding the xylem.…”