Ecological Characteristics of Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Abstract

Metasequoia Miki is a deciduous conifer with a highly restricted natural distribution in central China. It is a riparian species that thrives under conditions of abundant growing season moisture availability, although as is shown by its distribution in cultivation, it is capable of sustained growth under drier conditions as well. Whereas the variability of climate across its natural range is minute, under cultivation it grows across a gradient of 16.3°C of mean annual temperature and 2360 mm of mean annual precipitation. No cultivated Metasequoiaglyptostroboides Hu et Cheng are known to exist without supplemental water in areas that receive less than ca. 500 mm of mean annual precipitation. Metasequoia glyptostroboides grows tall quickly and is capable of obtaining stem lengths in excess of 30 m in less than 50 years. Based on measurements of the trees from its natural range, maximum height may be just over 50 m. Analysis of growth performance of M. glyptostroboides through time indicates that trees from different seedlots grown in common garden experiments remain static in their relative growth rates through time; trees that grew quickly from the outset continued to outpace slower growing trees eight years later. A mixture of environmental factors may alter M. glyptostroboides growth form. Most notably, shrubby varieties are known from a mixture of cold climates, but are not always found in extremely cold areas.