Climatic control of radial growth of Cedrela montana in a humid mountain rainforest in southern Ecuador

Cedrela montana is a deciduous broad-leaved tree species growing in the humid mountain rainforests of southern Ecuador. High-resolution dendrometer data indicate a regular seasonal growth rhythm with cambial activity during January to April. Amplitudes of daily radial stem diameter variations are correlated with the amount of the maximum daily vapour pressure deficit. During humid periods, daily stem diameter variations are considerably smaller than during drier periods. This indicates that cambial activity is limited by available moisture even in such a very humid mountain climate. Wood anatomical studies on microcores show the formation of a marginal parenchyma band at the beginning of the growth period. This parenchyma band can be used to delineate annual growth rings. We were able to establish the first ring-width chronol ogy from Cedrela montana which covers the time until 1840. However, the chronology is presently statistically robust back to 1910 only. Correlation functions calculated with NCEP/NCAR data indicate a significantly positive relationship of tree growth with temperatures during the growth period during January to April. However, only 8% of the growth variance is explained by this climatic factor. In the future, this relationship may be useful to reconstruct past temperature conditions of the study area. Zusammenfassung: Cedrela montana ist eine laubwerfende Baumart mit Vorkommen in den humiden Bergwaldern Sudecuadors. Zeitlich hoch aufgeloste Dendrometermessungen belegen eine regelmasige jahrliche Zuwachsrhythmik mit einer kambialen Aktivitatsphase von Januar bis April. Die Amplituden taglicher Schwankungen der Stammdurchmesser sind mit der Hohe des maximalen taglichen Wasserdampfsattigungsdefizits korreliert. Wahrend feuchter Witterungsphasen fallen diese Schwankungen deutlich geringer aus als wahrend trockener Witterungsperioden. Dies deutet auf eine Limitierung der kambialen Aktivitat durch die verfugbare Feuchtigkeit selbst in diesem sehr feuchten Bergwaldklima hin. Holzanatomische Studien an Mikrobohrkernen belegen die Bildung eines marginalen Parenchymbandes zu Beginn einer Zuwachsperiode. Dieses Parenchymband wird zur Abgrenzung der jahrlichen Wachstumsringe genutzt. Es konnte die erste JahrringbreitenChronologie von Cedrela montana erstellt werden, die maximal bis 1840 zuruckreicht, jedoch derzeit erst ab 1910 statistisch ausreichend belegt ist. Korrelationsberechnungen mit NCEP/NCAR Daten ergeben eine signifikant positive Korrelation zwischen Jahrringbreitenwachstum und der Temperatur wahrend der Wachstumsmonate Januar bis April, die jedoch nur 8% der Wachstumsvarianz erklaren. Bei Verbesserung des Kalibrationsmodells konnte die Jahrringchronologie kunftig zur Rekonstruktion der Temperaturverhaltnisse im Untersuchungsgebiet genutzt werden

Biology · Geography · Rainforest · Ecology · Forest ecology and management · Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics · Tree-ring climate responses

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