Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth
The frequent and intensifying droughts caused by climate warming are leading to widespread declines in tree growth and increased mortality, posing a significant threat to the health and vitality of forest ecosystems. While competition among trees is recognized as a critical factor influencing their...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000654 |
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| author | Xinyu Han Lushuang Gao Mingqian Liu Yihong Zhu Keda Cui Xinyu Zhang Xiuhai Zhao Ruibo Zhang Klaus von Gadow Yiyu Tian Kangchen Wang |
| author_facet | Xinyu Han Lushuang Gao Mingqian Liu Yihong Zhu Keda Cui Xinyu Zhang Xiuhai Zhao Ruibo Zhang Klaus von Gadow Yiyu Tian Kangchen Wang |
| author_sort | Xinyu Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The frequent and intensifying droughts caused by climate warming are leading to widespread declines in tree growth and increased mortality, posing a significant threat to the health and vitality of forest ecosystems. While competition among trees is recognized as a critical factor influencing their growth, the precise mechanism underlying its impact remains unclear. Here, we investigate the role of crown size in the process of competition affecting tree growth across varying gradients of age and moisture conditions. Our analysis is based on comprehensive data collected from natural forests of Xing'an larch (Larix gmelinii) located in the northeastern region of China. We observed that competition indirectly impacts tree growth by diminishing crown size, and this influence is modulated by both tree age and environmental moisture conditions. Specifically, mature trees are better able to withstand competition pressure than young trees. The stimulatory effect of crown size on tree growth enhances in young tress, but diminishes in mature trees. Additionally, the negative impact of competition on tree crown size is more pronounced in high moisture regions, and larches experiencing crown reduction under intense competition exhibit a heightened sensitivity to water availability. Our findings provide robust evidence that competition indirectly influences tree growth by modifying their phenotypic traits. Notably, the crown, serving as a crucial organ for nutrient acquisition in trees, was a mediating factor between competition and growth. This result holds significant implications for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the face of a warming climate in the future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7378fcb78f1d48e5b301b22ea542bd7a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj-art-7378fcb78f1d48e5b301b22ea542bd7a2025-02-02T05:27:39ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942025-04-0158e03464Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growthXinyu Han0Lushuang Gao1Mingqian Liu2Yihong Zhu3Keda Cui4Xinyu Zhang5Xiuhai Zhao6Ruibo Zhang7Klaus von Gadow8Yiyu Tian9Kangchen Wang10Key Laboratory of Forest Resources and Environmental Management of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forest Resources and Environmental Management of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Corresponding author.Laboratory of Wood Technology, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, BelgiumUniversity of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94704, USAKey Laboratory of Forest Resources and Environmental Management of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forest Resources and Environmental Management of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forest Resources and Environmental Management of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaXinjiang Key Laboratory of Tree-ring Ecology/Key Laboratory of Tree-ring Physical and Chemical Research (CMA), Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830002, ChinaFaculty of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-University G¨ottingen, Göttingen 37077, Germany; Department of Forest and Wood Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch 7602, South AfricaUlchihan Forest Industries Ltd., Hulunbuir 022159, ChinaGenhe Forest Industries Ltd., Hulunbuir 022350, ChinaThe frequent and intensifying droughts caused by climate warming are leading to widespread declines in tree growth and increased mortality, posing a significant threat to the health and vitality of forest ecosystems. While competition among trees is recognized as a critical factor influencing their growth, the precise mechanism underlying its impact remains unclear. Here, we investigate the role of crown size in the process of competition affecting tree growth across varying gradients of age and moisture conditions. Our analysis is based on comprehensive data collected from natural forests of Xing'an larch (Larix gmelinii) located in the northeastern region of China. We observed that competition indirectly impacts tree growth by diminishing crown size, and this influence is modulated by both tree age and environmental moisture conditions. Specifically, mature trees are better able to withstand competition pressure than young trees. The stimulatory effect of crown size on tree growth enhances in young tress, but diminishes in mature trees. Additionally, the negative impact of competition on tree crown size is more pronounced in high moisture regions, and larches experiencing crown reduction under intense competition exhibit a heightened sensitivity to water availability. Our findings provide robust evidence that competition indirectly influences tree growth by modifying their phenotypic traits. Notably, the crown, serving as a crucial organ for nutrient acquisition in trees, was a mediating factor between competition and growth. This result holds significant implications for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the face of a warming climate in the future.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000654CompetitionTree growthCrown sizeAgeMoisture |
| spellingShingle | Xinyu Han Lushuang Gao Mingqian Liu Yihong Zhu Keda Cui Xinyu Zhang Xiuhai Zhao Ruibo Zhang Klaus von Gadow Yiyu Tian Kangchen Wang Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth Global Ecology and Conservation Competition Tree growth Crown size Age Moisture |
| title | Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth |
| title_full | Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth |
| title_fullStr | Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth |
| title_full_unstemmed | Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth |
| title_short | Age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth |
| title_sort | age and moisture affect the relationship between competition and tree growth |
| topic | Competition Tree growth Crown size Age Moisture |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000654 |
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