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Population Dynamics of Betula ermanii in Response to Climate Change at the Changbai Mountain Treeline, China


Affiliations
1 College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
2 School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
3 School of Natural Science and Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway 08205, United States
4 Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
 

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the population dynamics of Betula ermanii in response to climate change over temporal and spatial dimensions, 310 quadrats were systematically sampled in 7 plots located in the upper treeline region on the north-facing slopes of Changbai Mountains. IKONOS images were used to identify the spatial distribution of Betula ermanii with the aid of a digital elevation model (DEM). Meteorological data were recorded in the field throughout the study area and collected from a nearby longterm weather station, to reconstruct the temperature and precipitation changes. We collected tree-ring samples from a total of 1197 Betula ermanii trees. The correlation coefficients between 14 eco-climate parameters (from 1953 to 2008) and the aggregated annual indices of population dynamics for each quadrat (totaling 310 quadrats) in the corresponding years were calculated via statistical analysis facilitated by GIS technology. The results show that the Betula ermanii population is more sensitive to changes in air temperature, than to change in precipitation. During the period when air temperatures increased at a slower pace, the Betula ermanii population steadily expanded via asexual reproduction and showed higher survival rate. During the period when air temperatures increased rapidly, the Betula ermanii population responded via rapid sexual reproduction and produced a large number of progeny.

Keywords

Betula ermanii Population Dynamics, Climate Change, Changbai Mountains, Treeline Shift, Tree-Ring Analysis.
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  • Population Dynamics of Betula ermanii in Response to Climate Change at the Changbai Mountain Treeline, China

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Authors

Xiaodong Wang
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
Weihua Dong
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
Huiqing Liu
School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Zhengfang Wu
School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Weihong Fan
School of Natural Science and Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway 08205, United States
Junhu Dai
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Abstract


To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the population dynamics of Betula ermanii in response to climate change over temporal and spatial dimensions, 310 quadrats were systematically sampled in 7 plots located in the upper treeline region on the north-facing slopes of Changbai Mountains. IKONOS images were used to identify the spatial distribution of Betula ermanii with the aid of a digital elevation model (DEM). Meteorological data were recorded in the field throughout the study area and collected from a nearby longterm weather station, to reconstruct the temperature and precipitation changes. We collected tree-ring samples from a total of 1197 Betula ermanii trees. The correlation coefficients between 14 eco-climate parameters (from 1953 to 2008) and the aggregated annual indices of population dynamics for each quadrat (totaling 310 quadrats) in the corresponding years were calculated via statistical analysis facilitated by GIS technology. The results show that the Betula ermanii population is more sensitive to changes in air temperature, than to change in precipitation. During the period when air temperatures increased at a slower pace, the Betula ermanii population steadily expanded via asexual reproduction and showed higher survival rate. During the period when air temperatures increased rapidly, the Betula ermanii population responded via rapid sexual reproduction and produced a large number of progeny.

Keywords


Betula ermanii Population Dynamics, Climate Change, Changbai Mountains, Treeline Shift, Tree-Ring Analysis.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi9%2F1751-1760