Aging Mongolian pine plantations face high risks of drought-induced growth decline:evidence from both individual tree and forest stand measurements

Discerning vulnerability differences among different aged trees to drought-driven growth decline or to mortality is critical to implement age-specific countermeasures for forest management in water-limited areas.An important species for afforestation in dry environments of northern China,Mongolian pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica Litv.)has recently exhibited growth decline and dieback on many sites,particularly pronounced in old-growth plantations.However,changes in response to drought stress by this species with age as well as the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.In this study,tree-ring data and remotely sensed vegetation data were combined to investigate variations in growth at individual tree and stand scales for young(9-13 years)and aging(35-52 years)plantations of Mongolian pine in a water-limited area of northern China.A recent decline in tree-ring width in the older plantation also had lower values in satellited-derived normalized difference vegetation indices and normalized difference water indices relative to the younger plantations.In addition,all measured growth-related metrics were strongly correlated with the self-calibrating Palmer drought severity index during the growing season in the older plantation.Sensitivity of growth to drought of the older plantation might be attributed to more severe hydraulic limitations,as reflected by their lower sapwood-and leaf-specific hydraulic conductivities.Our study presents a comprehensive view on changes of growth with age by integrating multiple methods and provides an explanation from the perspective of plant hydraulics for growth decline with age.The results indicate that old-growth Mongolian pine plantations in water-limited environments may face increased growth declines under the context of climate warming and drying.

Application of Wenner Configuration to Estimate Soil Water Content in Pine Plantations on Sandy Land

To estimate the mean value of surface soil water content rapidly,accurately,and nonintrusively,field investigations on soil electrical resistivity(SER)with the Yokogawa 324400 earth resistivity meter and the surface(0-150 cm)soil water content(SWC)with time domain reflectometry(TDR),together with the abiotic factors including soil texture,structure. and salinity concentrations were conducted in the Mongolian pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica)plantations on a sandy land.The measurement of SER was based on the 4-probe Wenner configuration method.Relationships between the values of SWC and SER were obtained based on analysis of the abiotic factors of the research site,which play a key role in affecting the soil electrical resistivity.Results indicate that the SER meter could be used to estimate the mean value of SWC in the Mongolian pine plantations on the sandy land during the growing seasons.The bulky nature of the equipment simplified the cumbersome measurements of soil water content with the general methods.It must be noted that the Wenner configuration method could only provide the mean values of the SWC,and the soil texture,structure, temperature,and solute concentrations influenced the SER and further affected the estimation of the SWC by the SER meter.Therefore,the results of this study could be applied on a sandy land during the growing seasons only.However, the SWC of other soil types also may be obtained according to the individual soil types using the procedures of this study.

Individual-tree diameter growth model for Korean pine plantations based on optimized interpolation of meteorological variables

To explore the influence of meteorological variables on the growth of Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis Sieb.et Zucc.) plantations and provide a scientific reference for the production and management of Korean pine,three approaches to interpolate meteorological variables during the growing season(i.e.,May-September) were compared in Heilongjiang Province,China.Optimized meteorological variable interpolation results were then combined with stand and individual tree variables,based on data from 56 sample plots and 2886 sample trees from Korean pine plantations in two regions of the province to develop an individualtree diameter growth model(Model I) and an individualtree diameter growth model with meteorological variables(Model Ⅱ) using a stepwise regression method.Moreover,an individual-tree diameter growth model with regional effects(Model Ⅲ) was developed using dummy variables in the regression,and the significance of introducing these dummy variables was verified with an F-test statistical analysis.The models were validated using an independent data set,and the predictive performance of the three models was assessed via the adjusted coefficient of determination(R_(a)^(2)) and root mean square error(RMSE).The results suggest that the growth increment in tree diameter of Korean pine plantations was significantly correlated with the natural logarithm of initial diameter(ln D),stand basal area(BAS),logarithmic deformation of the stand density index(ln SDI),ratio of basal area of trees larger than the subject tree to their initial diameter at breast height(DBH)(BAL/D),and the maximum growingseason precipitation(Pgmax).The individual-tree diameter growth models of Korean pine plantations developed in this study will provide a good basis for estimating and predicting growth increments of Korean pine forests over larger areas.

Spatial patterns nitrogen transfer models of ectomycorrhizal networks in a Mongolian scotch pine plantation

Ectomycorrhizal(EM)networks provide a variety of services to plants and ecosystems include nutrient uptake and transfer,seedling survival,internal cycling of nutrients,plant competition,and so on.To deeply their structure and function in ecosystems,we investigated the spatial patterns and nitrogen(N)transfer of EM networks usingN labelling technique in a Mongolian scotch pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica Litv.)plantation in Northeastern China.In August 2011,four plots(20 × 20 m)were set up in the plantation.125 ml 5 at.%0.15 mol/LNHNOsolution was injected into soil at the center of each plot.Before and 2,6,30 and 215 days after theN application,needles(current year)of each pine were sampled along four 12 m sampling lines.Needle total N andN concentrations were analyzed.We observed needle N andN concentrations increased significantly over time afterN application,up to 31 and0.42%,respectively.There was no correlation between needle N concentration andN/N ratio(R2=0.40,n=5,P=0.156),while excess needle N concentration and excess needleN/N ratio were positively correlated across different time intervals(R~2=0.89,n=4,P\0.05),but deceased with time interval lengthening.NeedleN/N ratio increased with time,but it was not correlated with distance.NeedleN/N ratio was negative with distance before and 6th day and 30th day,positive with distance at 2nd day,but the trend was considerably weaker,their slop were close to zero.These results demonstrated that EM networks were ubiquitous and uniformly distributed in the Mongolian scotch pine plantation and a random network.We found N transfer efficiency was very high,absorbed N by EM network was transferred as wide as possible,we observed N uptake of plant had strong bias forN andN,namely N fractionation.Understanding the structure and function of EM networks in ecosystems may lead to a deeper understanding of ecological stability and evolution,and thus provide new theoretical approaches to improve conservation practices for the management of the Earth’s ecosystems.

STUDY ON THE TREE GROWTH, ARCHITECTURE AND STAND STRUCTURE OF KOREAN PINE PLANTATION

The artificial pure and mixed Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forests were investigated at Dailing Forestry Bureau in Xiaoxing'an mountains from 1990 to 1992. Depending on the distance between the samplings of Korean pine and their neighbor trees, the neighbor tree height, the size of neighbor tree canopy, and dimension of neighbor tree. The forest structure was classified into three types: (1) prowth of a tree in the light (open), (2) Growth of a tree in the canopy gap (Gap), (3)Growth of a tree under broad-leaved tree canopy. The frequeney, height, and age of stem divergence of Korean pine tree were investigated by sampling trees. The temporal and spatial model of the tree growth was applied on basis of the height of stem divergence, ratio of height and DBH, and character of tree stem.The morphology and growth character of Korean pine trees during different development stage were forecasted.

Response of understory plant species richness and tree regeneration to thinning in Pinus tabuliformis plantations in northern China

Background:Chinese pine(Pinus tabuliformis Carr.)is one of the major afforestation species in northern China and plays a key role in restoring forest ecosystems and preserving soil and water.However,most Chinese pine plantations are experiencing ecological problems such as the low diversity of understory plants and difficulty in natural regeneration.Thinning has been widely used to maintain and improve a variety of forest ecosystem services from plantations.To date,however,few studies have been conducted to systematically determine the effects of thinning on understory plant diversity and the regeneration of Chinese pine in plantations.Methods:We conducted a literature search,and selected 22 publications covering a total of 83 treatments related to thinning effects on the species richness of understory plants and 15 publications covering a total of 43 treatments related to thinning effects on the regeneration of Chinese pine,in tree plantations of northern China.The data from the literature were synthesized and evaluated with meta-analysis approach to determine the treatment effects.Results:Compared with the control stands,thinning increased the species richness of shrubs and herbs by an average of 25.3%and 26.5%,respectively.While the varying thinning intensities all had significantly positive effects on the species richness of understory plants,only moderate thinning(30%–50%)had a positive effect on the density of regenerating seedlings and saplings of Chinese pine(60.2%).The species richness of understory plants was greatest after 14 years of thinning with an increase of 36.3%,whereas the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings reached a maximum after≥11 years of thinning with an increase of 76.5%,compared to that of the unthinned stands.Thinning in the half-mature plantations had the greatest effects on the understory shrub richness(44.1%)and the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings(86.5%).Both single and multiple thinning were found to significantly promote the species richness of understory plants and the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings,and the positive effects of thinning were greater in areas with a humidity index(HI)<30 than in areas with an HI≥30.In general,age group,planting density and recovery time were prominent factors affecting the species richness of understory plants,whereas the slope,HI and recovery time were the dominant controls of the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings,indicating differential effects of thinning on the species richness of understory plants and the regeneration capacity of Chinese pine in plantations.Conclusion:Thinning appears to be a feasible management measure to improve the understory plant diversity and regeneration capacity of Chinese pine in plantations.We postulate that moderate thinning in half-mature forest stands with an HI<30 can help effectively promote the species diversity of understory plants and the natural regeneration of Chinese pine,thereby maintaining a more resilient stand structure and the development of Chinese pine plantations.

Above-ground Biomass Allocation in a Planted Forest in a Semi-arid Region of Northern Mongolia

Investigation of the above-ground biomass allocation patterns on Scots pine plantations is critical for quantifying the productivity and carbon cycle of forest ecosystems. We estimated above-ground biomass and net primary production of a 25-year-old Pinus sylvestris L. （Scots pine） plantation, in a semi-arid region of Mongolia. The above-ground biomass of sample trees was divided into stem wood, stem bark, live branches, dead branches and needles. Total biomass for the stand was only 18.03 Mg ha1, of which 47.6% was found in stem wood, 25.8% in live branches and 14.8% in needles. The growth rate of the Scots pine plantation in the study region was relatively low compared with other regions. In the study area, it was observed that the rate of biomass accumulation in the plantation was very slow; this can be explained by very limited growing conditions and intensive crown closure. The results from this study indicate that it may be necessary to carry out thinning to increase biomass production by reducing competition between trees in the Scotch pine plantation.

Comparison of foliar nutrient concentrations between natural and artificial forests of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica on sandy land, China

In order to examine the causes of degradation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations on sandy land, the foliar concentrations of N, P, K and C were analyzed and compared between the field grown P. sylvestris var. mongolica trees from two provenances （natural forests and plantations）. The results indicated that natural tree needles had lower N, P and C concentrations, and higher K concentrations than those of plantation tree needles. For plantation tree needles, ratios of N： P, P. K and N： K increased with tree age before 45 years old; but they were not clear for the natural tree needles. Compared with the conclusions reported on Pinus spp., we found that the foliar N and P concentrations were in the optimal range for both natural and plantation tree needles. This result suggested that N or P might not be the absolute limit factors in plant nutrient for P sylvestris var. mongolica on sandy land. However, foliar K concentrations in both natural and plantation tree needles were much lower than those reported on Pinus spp. （〉4.80 g kg-1）.The N： P ratio of natural needles was in the adequate ranges, but N： P ratio of plantation needles was out of the adequate ranges. These results indicated that there was a better balanced nutrition status in the natural forest than in the plantations. If only considering the foliar nutrient concentrations of P sylvestris var. mongolica from different provenances, it might be concluded that the degradation phenomenon of P. sylvestris var. mongolica plantations was not induced by nutrition deficiency of absolute nutrients of N and P, but might be induced by other mineral nutrients or by the effectiveness of N and P nutrients. The unbalanced nutrition status and relatively quick decomposition of needles in the plantations might also contribute to the degradation.

Isotopic Model Estimate of Relative Contribution of Potential Water Pools to Water Uptake of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in Horqin Sandy Land

We examined stable isotope signals of precipitation, soil water, and xylem water and ran the multi-source linear mixing model （IsoSource） to determine water uptake depths and estimate proportional contribution of possible water pools to the water use of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） plantation in southeast Horqin Sandy Land. We also examined variations of the water use by Mongolian pine trees before and after a heavy precipitation event. The closeness of isotopic composition between xylem water and potential water pools presented that most of water uptake by the trees occurred in the depth of below 20 cm soil （up to 80 cm in this study）. Estimate from the IsoSource model agrees well with observation, and the model yielded that over 60% of the water was derived from 20–80 cm soil layer under relatively higher soil moisture conditions, contribution from much deeper soil depth may increase when the soil in this layer became dry. The contribution from the groundwater was very low since water table was much deeper than rooting depth of the trees. Isotopic signals of xylem water of Mongolian pine trees before and after a heavy precipitation of 14.4 mm on July 13 in 2009 exhibited that the trees could sense and use recent rain-charged soil water at the upper 20 cm soil layer 36 hours after the rain, and this contribution decreased rapidly in the following 24 hours. The ability of accessing different water pools of Mongolian pine trees under various soil moisture conditions is likely a good indicator of their adaptability to dry habitats in sandy lands.