Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Population Dynamics of Betula ermanii in Response to Climate Change at the Changbai Mountain Treeline, China


Affiliations
1 College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
2 School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
3 School of Natural Science and Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway 08205, United States
4 Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
 

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the population dynamics of Betula ermanii in response to climate change over temporal and spatial dimensions, 310 quadrats were systematically sampled in 7 plots located in the upper treeline region on the north-facing slopes of Changbai Mountains. IKONOS images were used to identify the spatial distribution of Betula ermanii with the aid of a digital elevation model (DEM). Meteorological data were recorded in the field throughout the study area and collected from a nearby longterm weather station, to reconstruct the temperature and precipitation changes. We collected tree-ring samples from a total of 1197 Betula ermanii trees. The correlation coefficients between 14 eco-climate parameters (from 1953 to 2008) and the aggregated annual indices of population dynamics for each quadrat (totaling 310 quadrats) in the corresponding years were calculated via statistical analysis facilitated by GIS technology. The results show that the Betula ermanii population is more sensitive to changes in air temperature, than to change in precipitation. During the period when air temperatures increased at a slower pace, the Betula ermanii population steadily expanded via asexual reproduction and showed higher survival rate. During the period when air temperatures increased rapidly, the Betula ermanii population responded via rapid sexual reproduction and produced a large number of progeny.

Keywords

Betula ermanii Population Dynamics, Climate Change, Changbai Mountains, Treeline Shift, Tree-Ring Analysis.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Shi, P. l., Korner, C. and Hoch, G., End of season carbon supply status of woody species near the treeline in western China. Basic Appl. Ecol., 2006, 7, 370–377.

  • Singh, C. P., Panigrahy, S., Thapuyal, A., Kimothi, M. M., Soni, P. and Parihar, J. S., Monitoring the alpine treeline shift in parts of the Indian Himalayas using remote sensing. Curr. Sci., 2012, 102(4), 559–562.

  • Soja, A. J. et al., Climate-induced boreal forest change: predictions versus current observations. Global Planet Change, 2007, 56, 274–296.

  • Elliott, K. J., Miniat, C. F., Pederson, N. and Laseter, S. H., Forest tree growth response to hydroclimate variability in the southern Appalachians. Global Change Biol., 2015, 21, 4627–4641.

  • Susiluoto, S., Peramaki, M., Nikinmaa, E. and Berninger, F., Effects of sink removal on transpiration at the treeline: implications for the growth limitation hypothesis. Environ. Exp. Bot., 2007, 60, 334–339.

  • Jimenez-Moreno, G., Fawcett, P. J. and Anderson, R. S., Millennialand centennial-scale vegetation and climate changes during the late pleistocene and holocene from northern New Mexico (USA). Quat. Sci. Rev., 2008, 27(13–14), 1442–1452.

  • Yamaguchi, D. K., Filion, L. and Savage, M., Relationship of temperature and light ring formation at subarctic treeline and implications for climate reconstruction. Quat. Res., 1993, 39(2), 256–262.

  • Bugmann, H., A comparative analysis of forest dynamics in the Swiss alps and the Colorado front range. For. Ecol. Manag., 2001, 145, 43–55.

  • Gehrig-Fasel, J., Guisan, A. and Zimmermann, N. E., Evaluating thermal treeline indicators based on air and soil temperature using an air-to-soil temperature transfer model. Ecol. Model., 2008, 213(3–4), 345–355.

  • Kessler, M., Bohner, J. and Kluge, J., Modelling tree height to assess climatic conditions at treelines in the Bolivian Andes. Ecol. Model., 2007, 207, 223–233.

  • Camarero, J. J., Gutierrez, E. and Fortin, M. J., Spatial pattern of subalpine forest-alpine grassland ecotones in the Spanish central Pyrenees. For. Ecol. Manage., 2000, 134(1–3), 1–16.

  • Deng, H. B., Hao, Z. Q. and Wang, Q. L., The changes of co-possession of plant species between communities with altitudes on northern slope of Changbai Mountain. J. Forest Res., 2001, 12, 89–92.

  • Yu, D. P., Gu, H. Y., Wang, J. D., Wang, Q. L. and Dai, L. M., Relationships of climate change and tree ring of Betula ermanii tree line forest in Changbai Mountain. J. Forest Res., 2005, 16, 187–192.

  • Wang, X. P., Fang, J. Y., Tang, Z. Y. and Zhu, B., Climatic control of primary forest structure and DBH–height allometry in northeast China. For. Ecol. Manage., 2006, 234, 264–274.

  • Liu, Q. J., Li, X. R., Ma, Z. Q. and Takeuchi, N., Monitoring forest dynamics using satellite imagery-a case study in the natural reserve of Changbai Mountain in China. For. Ecol. Manage., 2005, 210, 25–37.

  • He, H. S., Hao, Z. Q., Larsen, D. R., Dai, L. M., Hu, Y. M. and Chang, Y., Simulation study of landscape scale forest succession in northeastern China. Ecol. Model., 2002, 156, 153–166.

  • Song, B., Chen, J. Q., Desanker, P. V., Reed, D. D., Bradshaw, G. A. and Franklin, J. F., Modeling canopy structure and heterogeneity across scales: from crowns to canopy. For. Ecol. Manage., 1997, 96, 217–229.

  • Sun, X. J., Luo, Y. L., Tian, J. and Wu, Y. S., Pollen record of surface sediments from vertical forest zones of Changbai Mountain, northeast China and their relations to the modern vegetation. Acta Bot. Sin., 2003, 45(8), 910–916.

  • Zhang, Y., Drobyshev, I., Gao, L. S., Zhao, X. H. and Bergeron, Y., Disturbance and regeneration dynamics of a mixed Korean pine dominated forest on Changbai Mountain, North-Eastern China. Dendrochronologia, 2014, 32, 21–31.

  • Yu, D. P., Wang, G. G., Dai, L. M. and Wang, Q. L., Dendroclimatic analysis of Betula ermanii forests at their upper limit of distribution in Changbai Mountain, Northeast China. For. Ecol. Manage., 2007, 240, 105–113.

  • Wilmking, M. and Juday, G. P., Longitudinal variation of radial growth at Alaska’s northern treeline-recent changes and possible scenarios for the 21st century. Global Planet Change, 2005, 47, 282–300.

  • Mori, A. S., Fukasawa, Y. and Takeda, H., Tree mortality and habitat shifts in the regeneration trajectory underneath canopy of an old-growth subalpine forest. For. Ecol. Manage., 2008, 255, 3758–3767.

  • Zhou, X. F., Wang, X. C., Han, S. J. and Zou, C. J., The effect of global climate change on the dynamics of Betula ermanii-tundra ecotone in the Changbai Mountains. Earth Sci. Front., 2002, 9(1), 227–231 (In Chinese).

  • Holmes, R. L., Comper-assisted quality control in tree-ring dating and measurement. Tree-Ring Bull., 1983, 43, 69–78.

  • Singh, J. and Yadav, R. R., Dendroclimatic potential of millenniumlong ring-width chronology of Pinus gerardiana from Himachal Pradesh, India. Curr. Sci., 2007, 93(6), 833–836.

  • Qian, J. J., The Research of Betula ermanii Forest on Changbai Mountain. In The Symposium of Changbai Mountains, Northeast Normal University Press, Changchun, 1981, pp. 164–176 (In Chinese).

  • Jing, G. H., Comprehensive Physical Geography, Northeast Normal University Press, Changchun, 1990, pp. 112 (In Chinese).

  • Irmaileh, B. A., Rayyan, A. A. and Shatat, F., Covering tree line with black polyethylene sheets for composting fresh animal manures reduces weeds and improves tree growth in Newly established Orchards. Am. J. Plant Sci., 2011, 2, 675–682.

  • Zazanashvili, N., Gagnidze, R. and Nakhutsrishvili, G., Main types of vegetation zonation on the mountains of the Caucasus. Acta Phytogeogr. Suec., 2000, 85, 7–16.


Abstract Views: 310

PDF Views: 109




  • Population Dynamics of Betula ermanii in Response to Climate Change at the Changbai Mountain Treeline, China

Abstract Views: 310  |  PDF Views: 109

Authors

Xiaodong Wang
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
Weihua Dong
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
Huiqing Liu
School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Zhengfang Wu
School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Weihong Fan
School of Natural Science and Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway 08205, United States
Junhu Dai
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Abstract


To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the population dynamics of Betula ermanii in response to climate change over temporal and spatial dimensions, 310 quadrats were systematically sampled in 7 plots located in the upper treeline region on the north-facing slopes of Changbai Mountains. IKONOS images were used to identify the spatial distribution of Betula ermanii with the aid of a digital elevation model (DEM). Meteorological data were recorded in the field throughout the study area and collected from a nearby longterm weather station, to reconstruct the temperature and precipitation changes. We collected tree-ring samples from a total of 1197 Betula ermanii trees. The correlation coefficients between 14 eco-climate parameters (from 1953 to 2008) and the aggregated annual indices of population dynamics for each quadrat (totaling 310 quadrats) in the corresponding years were calculated via statistical analysis facilitated by GIS technology. The results show that the Betula ermanii population is more sensitive to changes in air temperature, than to change in precipitation. During the period when air temperatures increased at a slower pace, the Betula ermanii population steadily expanded via asexual reproduction and showed higher survival rate. During the period when air temperatures increased rapidly, the Betula ermanii population responded via rapid sexual reproduction and produced a large number of progeny.

Keywords


Betula ermanii Population Dynamics, Climate Change, Changbai Mountains, Treeline Shift, Tree-Ring Analysis.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi9%2F1751-1760