Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe

The present study aimed to detect sensitivity of beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) to meteorological parameters and air pollution by acidifying species as well as to surface ozone outside their north-eastern distribution range. Data set since 1981 of Preila EMEP station enabled to establish that hot...

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Main Authors: Algirdas Augustaitis, Dalia Jasineviciene, Rasele Girgzdiene, Almantas Kliucius, Vitas Marozas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/743926
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author Algirdas Augustaitis
Dalia Jasineviciene
Rasele Girgzdiene
Almantas Kliucius
Vitas Marozas
author_facet Algirdas Augustaitis
Dalia Jasineviciene
Rasele Girgzdiene
Almantas Kliucius
Vitas Marozas
author_sort Algirdas Augustaitis
collection DOAJ
description The present study aimed to detect sensitivity of beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) to meteorological parameters and air pollution by acidifying species as well as to surface ozone outside their north-eastern distribution range. Data set since 1981 of Preila EMEP station enabled to establish that hot Summers, cold dormant, and dry and cold first-half of vegetation periods resulted in beech tree growth reduction. These meteorological parameters explained 57% variation in beech tree ring widths. Acidifying species had no significant effect on beech tree growth. Only ozone was among key factors contributing to beech stand productivity. Phytotoxic effect of this pollutant increased explanation rate of beech tree ring variation by 18%, that is, up to 75%. However, due to climate changes the warmer dormant periods alone are not the basis ensuring favourable conditions for beech tree growth. Increase in air temperature in June-August and decrease in precipitation amount in the first half of vegetation period should result in beech tree radial increment reduction. Despite the fact that phytotoxic effect of surface ozone should not increase due to stabilization in its concentration, it is rather problematic to expect better environmental conditions for beech tree growth at northern latitude of their pervasion.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1537-744X
language English
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series The Scientific World Journal
spelling doaj-art-e662908e3f59447799db26c176f0a4c62025-08-20T03:26:00ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2012-01-01201210.1100/2012/743926743926Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in EuropeAlgirdas Augustaitis0Dalia Jasineviciene1Rasele Girgzdiene2Almantas Kliucius3Vitas Marozas4Faculty of Forestry and Ecology, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Akademija, 53362, Kaunas District, LithuaniaEnvironmental Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, 02300 Vilnius, LithuaniaEnvironmental Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, 02300 Vilnius, LithuaniaFaculty of Forestry and Ecology, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Akademija, 53362, Kaunas District, LithuaniaFaculty of Forestry and Ecology, Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Akademija, 53362, Kaunas District, LithuaniaThe present study aimed to detect sensitivity of beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) to meteorological parameters and air pollution by acidifying species as well as to surface ozone outside their north-eastern distribution range. Data set since 1981 of Preila EMEP station enabled to establish that hot Summers, cold dormant, and dry and cold first-half of vegetation periods resulted in beech tree growth reduction. These meteorological parameters explained 57% variation in beech tree ring widths. Acidifying species had no significant effect on beech tree growth. Only ozone was among key factors contributing to beech stand productivity. Phytotoxic effect of this pollutant increased explanation rate of beech tree ring variation by 18%, that is, up to 75%. However, due to climate changes the warmer dormant periods alone are not the basis ensuring favourable conditions for beech tree growth. Increase in air temperature in June-August and decrease in precipitation amount in the first half of vegetation period should result in beech tree radial increment reduction. Despite the fact that phytotoxic effect of surface ozone should not increase due to stabilization in its concentration, it is rather problematic to expect better environmental conditions for beech tree growth at northern latitude of their pervasion.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/743926
spellingShingle Algirdas Augustaitis
Dalia Jasineviciene
Rasele Girgzdiene
Almantas Kliucius
Vitas Marozas
Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe
The Scientific World Journal
title Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe
title_full Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe
title_fullStr Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe
title_full_unstemmed Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe
title_short Sensitivity of Beech Trees to Global Environmental Changes at Most North-Eastern Latitude of Their Occurrence in Europe
title_sort sensitivity of beech trees to global environmental changes at most north eastern latitude of their occurrence in europe
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/743926
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AT daliajasineviciene sensitivityofbeechtreestoglobalenvironmentalchangesatmostnortheasternlatitudeoftheiroccurrenceineurope
AT raselegirgzdiene sensitivityofbeechtreestoglobalenvironmentalchangesatmostnortheasternlatitudeoftheiroccurrenceineurope
AT almantaskliucius sensitivityofbeechtreestoglobalenvironmentalchangesatmostnortheasternlatitudeoftheiroccurrenceineurope
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