Wood properties in a long-lived conifer reveal strong climate signals where ring-width series do not

Drew, David M.; Allen, Kathryn; Downes, Geoffrey M.; Evans, Robert; Battaglia, Michael; Baker, Patrick J.

doi:10.1093/treephys/tps111

Cited by 81 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Predictions seem to be more sensitive to changes in temperature compared with changes in precipitation, although changes induced by temperature and precipitation are much smaller relative to changes induced by the manipulation of stand density (Table 6). Furthermore, the inclusion of climate variables in our SG model seem to support recent findings that chronologies based on wood properties may be useful for climate studies in cases where tree-ring chronologies are not able to isolate the climate signal (Drew et al 2013).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Modeling regional and climatic variation of wood density and ring width in intensively managed Douglas-fir

et al. 2014

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Characteristics of annual rings are reliable indicators of growth and wood quality in trees. The main objective of our study was to model the variation in annual ring attributes due to intensive silviculture and inherent regional differences in climate and site across a wide geographic range of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco). Ring specific gravity and ring width of Douglas-fir were examined at five long-term Levels-Of-Growing-Stock (LOGS) installations, three in the US and two in Canada, covering a latitudinal gradient between 43°N and 50°N. At each location, increment cores were collected from replicated plots with three levels of stocking: control (unthinned), lightly thinned (70% basal area retention), and heavily thinned (30% basal area retention). X-ray densitometry analysis provided ring specific gravity and width profiles for 5676 rings from 134 trees. The reduction of stand density through repeated entries resulted in decreased ring specific gravity and increased ring width. A four-parameter mixed-effects logistic model was used to predict ring specific gravity using cambial age, stand density (as number of stems per hectare), and two climatic variables: average temperature from March to May and total precipitation from April to August. A three-parameter mixed-effects logistic model was used to predict ring width using cambial age, stand density (as stand density index), and total climatic moisture deficit of June and July. Both models indicated significant site differences that were included in the models through indicator variables. Ring specific gravity increased slightly with increasing average temperature from March to May and decreasing total precipitation from April to August. Predictions of ring specific gravity of Douglas-fir appear to be more sensitive to changes in temperature compared with changes in precipitation. Résumé :Les caractéristiques des cernes annuels sont des indices fiables de la croissance et de la qualité du bois chez les arbres. Le principal objectif de notre étude consistait à modéliser la variation des attributs des cernes annuels attribuable à la sylviculture intensive et aux différences régionales inhérentes au climat et aux stations sur une vaste étendue géographique occupée par le douglas de Menzies (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco). La densité et la largeur des cernes du douglas de Menzies ont été étudiées dans cinq endroits, trois aux États-Unis et deux au Canada, établis pour observer l'effet à long terme de la densité des tiges sur pied et couvrant un gradient latitudinal allant de 43°N à 50°N. À chaque endroit, des carottes ont été prélevées dans des placettes répliquées correspondant à trois niveaux de densité relative : témoin (pas d'éclaircie), éclaircie légère (rétention de 70 % de la surface terrière) et éclaircie forte (rétention de 30 % de la surface terrière). L'analyse par densitométrie aux rayons X a permis d'obtenir les profils de largeur et de densité de 5676 cernes provenant de 134 arbres. La réduction de la densité relative des ...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Modeling regional and climatic variation of wood density and ring width in intensively managed Douglas-fir

et al. 2014

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“…Findings that other, less studied features (e.g., tracheid radial diameter, microfibril angle) in tree rings contain a reliable temperature signal offer potential for further developing tree-ring-based temperature indicators, as well as their spatial coverage [83,84]. In addition, development of standardization methods for removing variations unrelated to climate and better retaining low-frequency variation (e.g., [85,86], is improving the reliability of temperature reconstructions over extended periods of time (e.g., [87]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reliability of temperature signal in various climate indicators from northern Europe

et al. 2017

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We collected relevant observational and measured annual-resolution time series dealing with climate in northern Europe, focusing in Finland. We analysed these series for the reliability of their temperature signal at annual and seasonal resolutions. Importantly, we analysed all of the indicators within the same statistical framework, which allows for their meaningful comparison. In this framework, we employed a cross-validation procedure designed to reduce the adverse effects of estimation bias that may inflate the reliability of various temperature indicators, especially when several indicators are used in a multiple regression model. In our data sets, timing of phenological observations and ice break-up were connected with spring, tree ring characteristics (width, density, carbon isotopic composition) with summer and ice formation with autumn temperatures. Baltic Sea ice extent and the duration of ice cover in different watercourses were good indicators of winter temperatures. Using combinations of various temperature indicator series resulted in reliable temperature signals for each of the four seasons, as well as a reliable annual temperature signal. The results hence demonstrated that we can obtain reliable temperature information over different seasons, using a careful selection of indicators, combining the results with regression analysis, and by determining the reliability of the obtained indicator.

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“…Latewood density appears to modestly increase in wet years (Cleaveland, ), most likely due to increased deposition in the cell wall, but this has not been explicitly studied. Interestingly, this robust earlywood and latewood dichotomy of Northern Hemisphere conifers does not generally apply to Australasian conifers where earlywood and latewood densities are both negatively influenced by increased temperatures (Drew et al, ; O'Donnell et al, ). Drew et al () suggest that for Australasian conifers, increased temperatures reduce the duration of the wall thickening leading to a net decrease in latewood density.…”

Section: Current Understanding Of Wood Density In Tree Ringsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific Merits and Analytical Challenges of Tree‐Ring Densitometry

Björklund

Arx

Nievergelt

et al. 2019

Reviews of Geophysics

117

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X-ray microdensitometry on annually resolved tree-ring samples has gained an exceptional position in last-millennium paleoclimatology through the maximum latewood density (MXD) parameter, but also increasingly through other density parameters. For 50 years, X-ray based measurement techniques have been the de facto standard. However, studies report offsets in the mean levels for MXD measurements derived from different laboratories, indicating challenges of accuracy and precision. Moreover, reflected visible light-based techniques are becoming increasingly popular, and wood anatomical techniques are emerging as a potentially powerful pathway to extract density information at the highest resolution. Here we review the current understanding and merits of wood density for tree-ring research, associated microdensitometric techniques, and analytical measurement challenges. The review is further complemented with a careful comparison of new measurements derived at 17 laboratories, using several different techniques. The new experiment allowed us to corroborate and refresh "long-standing wisdom" but also provide new insights. Key outcomes include (i) a demonstration of the need for mass/volume-based recalibration to accurately estimate average ring density; (ii) a substantiation of systematic differences in MXD measurements that cautions for great care when combining density data sets for climate reconstructions; and (iii) insights into the relevance of analytical measurement resolution in signals derived from tree-ring density data. Finally, we provide recommendations expected to facilitate future inter-comparability and interpretations for global change research.Plain Language Summary Paleoclimatology, the study of how the climate has changed throughout earth history, is an important component of climate change research. The wood density of tree

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Wood properties in a long-lived conifer reveal strong climate signals where ring-width series do not

Cited by 81 publications

References 52 publications

Modeling regional and climatic variation of wood density and ring width in intensively managed Douglas-fir

Modeling regional and climatic variation of wood density and ring width in intensively managed Douglas-fir

Reliability of temperature signal in various climate indicators from northern Europe

Scientific Merits and Analytical Challenges of Tree‐Ring Densitometry

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