Variability of climate-growth relationships along an elevation gradient in the Changbai Mountain, northeastern China

In order to explore climate-growth relation- ships at different elevations, tree-ring width chronologies of larch (Larix olgensis) were developed from three sam- pling sites on the northern slope of the Changbai Mountain, northeastern China. There were no consistent trends in statistical characteristics of the tree-ring chronologies along the elevation gradient, since trees in the forest inte- rior had a complacent growth pattern. Monthly mean temperature and monthly total precipitation were used for the analysis. Correlation analysis indicated that tempera- tures in winter had negative correlations with tree growth (previous November, December and current March for the low-, mid- and high-elevation sites, respectively). The correlations between tree growth and June temperature varied from weakly negative at low elevations to signifi- cantly positive at high elevations. Precipitation in June of the growth year had negative relationship with the high- elevation chronology. However, high precipitation was associated with low temperature in early growing season, further supporting that temperature is a growth-limiting factor at high elevations. Our results suggest that along the elevation gradient, L. olgensis may respond in different ways to local climate change.