Climate-growth relationships of Qilian juniper Sabina przewalskii in the Anyemaqen Mountains, Tibet

Abstract

Climate-growth relationships were investigated for 5 mountain slopes of the Anyemaqen Mountains on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, using a tree-ring width network indicating the chronologies of 20 Qilian junipers Sabina przewalskii. Tree growth is mainly controlled by regional climate conditions, which are modulated by altitudinal factors. The tree growth patterns in this region were classified asccording to a west-east orientation. Temperature and precipitation from August to October of the previous year and May of the current year are the major limiting factors for most chronologies, as indicated by simple correlation analysis. In general, precipitation plays a more important role in governing tree growth than temperature, and tree rings in the east are more sensitive to precipitation than those in the west. Differences in the climate-growth relationship may be caused by varying climate conditions between the western and eastern Anyemaqen Mountains. © Inter-Research 2010.