Climate and Biological Factors Co-Regulate the Drought Resilience of Pinus Tabulaeformis

Severe drought can threaten the structure and function of forest ecosystems by profoundly altering plant growth and mortality. Identifying the drivers influencing drought resilience is essential for understanding the global warming effect on the forest ecosystem. However, the direct and indirect impacts of multiple climate and biological factors on drought resilience remain unquantified, and a potential mechanistic pathway remains unexplored. Here, we aimed to quantify the drought resistance, recovery, and resilience of Pinus tabulaeformis using the basal area increment. We showed that the Palmer Drought Severity Index had a significant direct positive impact on resistance, negative impact on recovery, but non-significant impact on resilience. Tree age and pre-drought basal area increments (preBAI) had significant direct negative effects on recovery and resilience, while only preBAI significantly affected resistance. Additionally, the competition index had a relatively minor direct effect on resistance, recovery, and resilience but exerted a significant negative influence on recovery by limiting the diameter at breast height (DBH). This research suggests that climate and biological factors co-regulate the drought resilience of Pinus tabulaeformis in this region. This findings are helpful for comprehending of ecological resilience and forest ecosystem stability, and provide useful insights for effective management of forest ecosystems under future climate change.