Uniform climate sensitivity in tree-ring stable isotopes across species and sites in a mid-latitude temperate forest

Autoren

C Hartl-Meier
C Zang
U Buntgen
J Esper
A Rothe
A Gottlein
T Dirnbock
K Treydte

DOI

10.1093/treephys/tpu096

eISSN

1758-4469

ISSN

0829-318X

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

1

Zeitschrift

Tree Physiology

Sprache

en

Online publication date

2014

Paginierung

4 - 15

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2015

Status

Published

Herausgeber

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Herausgeber URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpu096

Datum der Datenerfassung

2017

Titel

Uniform climate sensitivity in tree-ring stable isotopes across species and sites in a mid-latitude temperate forest

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

35

Data source: Crossref

Abstract

Tree-ring stable isotopes, providing insight into drought-induced eco-physiological mechanisms, are frequently used to reconstruct past changes in growing season temperature and precipitation. Their climatic response is, however, still not fully understood, particularly for data originating from non-extreme, mid-latitude environments with differing ecological conditions. Here, we assess the response of δ(13)C, δ(18)O and tree-ring width (TRW) from a temperate mountain forest in the Austrian pre-Alps to climate and specific drought events. Variations in stem growth and isotopic composition of Norway spruce, common beech and European larch from dry, medium and moist sites are compared with records of sunshine, temperature, moisture, precipitation and cloud cover. Results indicate uniform year-to-year variations in δ(13)C and δ(18)O across sites and species, but distinct differences in TRW according to habitat and species. While the climate sensitivity of TRW is overall weak, the δ(13)C and δ(18)O chronologies contain significant signals with a maximum sensitivity to cloud cover changes (r = -0.72 for δ(18)O). The coherent inter-annual isotopic variations are accompanied by substantial differences in the isotopic signatures with offsets up to ∼3‰ for δ(13)C, indicating species-specific physiological strategies and varying water-use efficiencies. During severe summer drought, beech and larch benefit from access to deeper and moist soils, allowing them to keep their stomata open. This strategy is accompanied by an increased water loss through transpiration, but simultaneously enables enhanced photosynthesis. Our findings indicate the potential of tree-ring stable isotopes from temperate forests to reconstruct changes in cloud cover, and to improve knowledge on basic physiological mechanisms of tree species growing in different habitats to cope with soil moisture deficits.

Addresses

Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, 55128 Mainz, Germany Forest Nutrition and Water Resources, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany c.hartl-meier@geo.uni-mainz.de.

Autoren

Claudia Hartl-Meier
Christian Zang
Ulf Büntgen
Jan Esper
Andreas Rothe
Axel Göttlein
Thomas Dirnböck
Kerstin Treydte

DOI

10.1093/treephys/tpu096

eISSN

1758-4469

Externe Identifier

PubMed Identifier: 25466725

Open access

false

ISSN

0829-318X

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

1

Zeitschrift

Tree physiology

Schlüsselwörter

Fagus
Larix
Picea
Plant Stems
Carbon Isotopes
Oxygen Isotopes
Soil
Temperature
Climate
Sunlight
Photosynthesis
Droughts
Forests

Sprache

eng

Medium

Print-Electronic

Online publication date

2014

Paginierung

4 - 15

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2015

Status

Published

Datum der Datenerfassung

2014

Titel

Uniform climate sensitivity in tree-ring stable isotopes across species and sites in a mid-latitude temperate forest.

Sub types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

35

Data source: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract

Tree-ring stable isotopes, providing insight into drought-induced eco-physiological mechanisms, are frequently used to reconstruct past changes in growing season temperature and precipitation. Their climatic response is, however, still not fully understood, particularly for data originating from non-extreme, mid-latitude environments with differing ecological conditions. Here, we assess the response of δ(13)C, δ(18)O and tree-ring width (TRW) from a temperate mountain forest in the Austrian pre-Alps to climate and specific drought events. Variations in stem growth and isotopic composition of Norway spruce, common beech and European larch from dry, medium and moist sites are compared with records of sunshine, temperature, moisture, precipitation and cloud cover. Results indicate uniform year-to-year variations in δ(13)C and δ(18)O across sites and species, but distinct differences in TRW according to habitat and species. While the climate sensitivity of TRW is overall weak, the δ(13)C and δ(18)O chronologies contain significant signals with a maximum sensitivity to cloud cover changes (r = -0.72 for δ(18)O). The coherent inter-annual isotopic variations are accompanied by substantial differences in the isotopic signatures with offsets up to ∼3‰ for δ(13)C, indicating species-specific physiological strategies and varying water-use efficiencies. During severe summer drought, beech and larch benefit from access to deeper and moist soils, allowing them to keep their stomata open. This strategy is accompanied by an increased water loss through transpiration, but simultaneously enables enhanced photosynthesis. Our findings indicate the potential of tree-ring stable isotopes from temperate forests to reconstruct changes in cloud cover, and to improve knowledge on basic physiological mechanisms of tree species growing in different habitats to cope with soil moisture deficits.

Autoren

Claudia Hartl-Meier
Christian Zang
Ulf Büntgen
Jan Esper
Andreas Rothe
Axel Göttlein
Thomas Dirnböck
Kerstin Treydte

Autoren-URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25466725

DOI

10.1093/treephys/tpu096

eISSN

1758-4469

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

1

Zeitschrift

Tree Physiol

Schlüsselwörter

carbon isotopes
dendroecology
drought
oxygen isotopes
radial growth
tree physiology
Carbon Isotopes
Climate
Droughts
Fagus
Forests
Larix
Oxygen Isotopes
Photosynthesis
Picea
Plant Stems
Soil
Sunlight
Temperature

Sprache

eng

Country

Canada

Paginierung

4 - 15

PII

tpu096

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2015

Status

Published

Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde

2015

Titel

Uniform climate sensitivity in tree-ring stable isotopes across species and sites in a mid-latitude temperate forest.

Sub types

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

35

Data source: PubMed

Uniform climate sensitivity in tree-ring stable isotopes across species and sites in a mid-latitude temperate forest

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