Interspecific variation in growth and tree water status of conifers under water-limited conditions

Abstract We monitored seasonal dynamics of stem water status of four coniferous species ( Abies alba , Larix decidua , Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris ) planted at the Borová hora Arboretum (300 m a.s.l., Zvolen valley, Central Slovakia) beyond their ecological and production optima, in the region with warmer and drier climate compared to the sites of their origin. Species-specific stem water deficit and maximum daily shrinkage were extracted from diurnal band dendrometer records of stem circumference recorded by digital band dendrometers DRL26 installed on five trees per species, and correlations with environmental variables were analysed. The seasonal stem circumference increment of all tree species was higher in 2017 than in the drier and hotter year of 2018. The greatest seasonal stem circumference increment in the observed periods of 2017 and 2018 was observed for A. alba and P. sylvestris , respectively. The highest and lowest values of daily and seasonal stem water deficit were observed for L. decidua and A. alba , respectively. The analysis of trees' short-term response to extreme climate events seems to be the promising and suitable method for detecting tree species tolerance towards drought.